Summary: World President Ronalds looks over the destroyed GDF base...

In the aftermath…

May 2099

World President Steven Ronalds looked over the mostly pile of rubble that was the GDF's German base, and shook his head.

Things could have been worse he supposed, the GDF could have completely wiped themselves out, if they kept following the Mysteronized Colonel Kennedy's orders, or if Thunderbird Shadow hadn't been at scene Spectrum could have lost their entire taskforce that was sent to bring Kennedy in.

Which opened another can of worms on how much International Rescue knew about the Mysterons when they were not meant to know anything about them.

Then there was the whole issue of China and Russia, both countries had just announced that they were leaving the world government and closing off all non civilian access to their airspace's and oceans, and world organisations, like Spectrum, WASP and what was left of the GDF, had a week to pack up and get their assets out of their countries otherwise they would be seized, as well ordered the immediate resignation of any officer that was a civilian of their countries.

It was a massive clusterfuck, made worse by the Mysteron's influence, Ronalds turned to look that the people had invited along to his observation of the clean up of the GDF's German base which included Colonel Blue, with Captain's Rose and White representing both Spectrum and the GDF and Alan, Tanusha and Aaron Tracy, along with Timothy Rigby representing International Rescue.

The last member of the group was a man known as Dominic Mason, he was the head of world intelligence, "Even though the outcome of today's events was the best it could be due to the circumstances," he was saying. "The point still stands, how much does International Rescue know about the Mysterons and for how long has your organisation known about them Tracy?"

Alan Tracy steeled himself, as he shot Mason a dirty look that could have melted steel, "We only really know most of the information that you give people with low level clearance, along with a bit of information that Spectrum gave us about their physiology, which we quietly used to create the detectors that, to my knowledge, are currently in use, by IR and world government agencies, to find Mysterons without need to DNA test them," he answered darkly. "Which how we discovered that you had three Mysteron agents that, according to Spectrum, had defected and were now apparently working alongside their enemies to defeat them."

Colonel Blue shot the International Rescue commander an irritated look, "Defected isn't the term I would use, Tracy, as it suggests that they had willingly worked for the Mysterons," he growled. "Broke free from their control is the more truthful statement - they are still pretty much the same people they were before they were changed, other than few minor changes due to the slight altering of their DNA."

"You can't be one hundred percent sure of that," Tanusha pointed out. "They take on the appearance and memories of the people they Mysteronize don't they? How can you be one percent that they aren't sleeper agents playing the long game?"

Blue sighed loudly, "I am well aware of that possibility, and I won't deny that in the beginning, I thought my predecessor was insane for giving Scarlet the benefit of doubt," he conceded. "However, if that is the case the Mysterons are have been playing a very long game, considering that it has been more than thirty years since Scarlet was Mysteronized, and Mahogany, who actually joined us because of his Mysteronization, has been with us for nearly ten, and in that time the Mysterons, on more than one occasion, have done their best to kill both of them," he cocked an eyebrow at Tanusha. "Not to mention the sheer number of times, Scarlet and Mahogany have had the opportunity to let any one of us get killed in the crossfire of a mission, and haven't allowed it to happen, often taking the blow instead…"

The Tracy's looked stunned at what Blue was saying, Ronalds noted, as he saw the look of disapproval on Mason's face, clearly he wasn't happy with what Colonel Blue was saying.

"So even though I am aware of the slim possibility that our Mysteronized officers could turn on us," Blue continued. "Past evidence suggests that they are who they claim to be, and until I have solid proof saying otherwise, I'm giving them the benefit of doubt, whether or not you do the same, that is up to you," he looked Alan Tracy dead in the eyes. "Just know if you attack any of our Mysteronized officers again without solid proof that they are double agents, you may find yourselves seriously regretting that decision."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alan growled.

Blue gave Mason a sideways look, "Do I have permission to explain the full story, in regards to the Mysterons, with International Rescue?" He asked, seriously. "Considering that they already know half the story, and not telling them is probably more dangerous to their and our Mysteronized officers safety?"

Mason gave Blue a thunderous look, "You have been told this several times in the past, Colonel, International Rescue is a civilian organisation and is not authorised to have information about the Mysterons on any level of clearance," he snarled. "In fact I am ordering International Rescue to hand over all the information they have on them, and they are to forget that they ever existed."

"Forget they existed!?!" Tanusha snapped. "Those monsters killed our oldest son!"

"Your son died in a tragic accident," Mason replied. "Maybe he should have checked his surroundings better."

As soon as the words left Mason's mouth Ronalds knew the man had made a mistake, Tanusha lunged at Mason and punched the man in the face, with an audible crack that suggested the she had broken the man's jaw, dropping the man like a sack of spuds.

Ronalds had heard the Tanusha Tracy was better known around the intelligence community as Kayo, and looking down at the unconscious Mason he could see why.

While Alan gently pulled his wife away in an attempt to calm her down, Ronalds took the chance to look at Blue and the other two Spectrum officers, "Idiot," Rose muttered. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't it Intentional Rescue the one that alerted us to the fact the Mysterons attacked them?"

"They were," Blue confirmed, as he looked back at Ronalds. "Can I put in a request that Mason, not be allowed anywhere near Skybase in the near future, I don't fancy his safety once word gets out that he tried to gaslight IR," he grimaced. "I don't think our Mysteronized officers would appreciate being told that they should have checked their surroundings better if they didn't want to get killed."

Ronalds nodded and sighed, as Aaron Tracy began to check on Mason's condition, "Just out of curiosity how long has International Rescue known about the Mysterons existence?" He asked Blue, as he signalled to his security to get medical attention for Mason.

"To our knowledge," Blue replied. "Pretty much from the beginning, when we evacuated the Colony on Mars, not long after that first disastrous encounter."

"Hang on a minute," Alan spoke up in a startled tone. "You knew that we knew about the existence of the Mysterons, from the start, yet to said nothing about it to us?"

"What was there to be said?" Blue replied. "As far as we knew, you guys had declared yourselves neutral in the whole situation, and stayed out of our way," he sighed. "At least up until they killed your son, Kallen, that is."

Alan and Tanusha exchanged a look of startled disbelief, "He isn't wrong about that," Alan conceded. "The reason why we didn't directly attack the Mysterons after our son's attack, was because Spectrum asked us not to, with the extra incentive of giving us information about the Mysterons to help us develop better defences, in exchange for us not going after the Mysterons half cocked."

"Speaking of those defences," Ronalds asked the Tracy's. "What was the weapon the Shadow used on the Mysterons just now?"

Alan rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Ah, that was a fireable version of the Mysteron defence systems that we have implemented on our Thunderbird/Hatchling/Stork craft, as well as some of our more important properties/bases," he answered. "Ever since we realised that the Mysterons constantly emitted a certain radio frequency, in their day to day movements, we developed an EMP of sorts designed to disrupt or completely fry anything using that frequency."

Ronalds looked at Tracy with a shocked expression, "You managed to isolate the frequency the Mysterons work on?" He asked. "How long have you known about this, and why haven't you shared this information with Spectrum before now?"

"To be perfectly honest," Alan replied. "We didn't know that it would work up until what happened with Kallen," he sighed. "And after that we had concerns that the Mysterons might change their frequencies if they caught wind that we could exploit them, the detection devices that we did share with Spectrum, are actually more reliable when it comes to detection."

"Just out of curiosity," Blue questioned. "How long were you previously using this defence system prior to your son's…"

"Murder?" Tanusha replied. "The earliest prototype, was implemented on the Island and the Ranch in 2070, we have refined it over the years, with the biggest adjustments made not long after Kallen's…"

"It was also about that time we realised that we couldn't necessarily wait for the Mysterons to get close to us to defend ourselves," Alan added. "Hence the missiles, One and FAB 1 are also equipped with them too."

Blue whistled softly, "Well, it obvious that your defence system mostly works," he replied softly. "The missiles did take out the vehicles and systems that were in the Mysterons control, it even took out all the Mysteronized GDF officers within their range…"

"Only the Mysteronized GDF officers?" Alan replied. "It was said in the initial report that Scarlet and Mahogany were your point men in the operation weren't they affected by the missile's effects as well?"

Blue glared at Alan, "You mean other than been seriously shaken up and wondering how they are still alive after they went off?" He growled. "No, it appears they weren't according to the Doctors, don't ask us how, we are in the dark as much as you are in that regard."

Alan and Tanusha exchanged a look, "It didn't work on them, at all?" Tanusha asked, uneasily.

"Be thankful it didn't," Blue snapped back. "I wouldn't be as civil as I'm now if that was the case… I meant what I said earlier, you will most likely come to regret it, if you intentionally harm those officers without conformation that they are actually working for the Mysterons."

Ronalds nodded his head in silent agreement, while Mahogany's history before Spectrum was a mystery to even him, because of Mahogany's dead hire status, he knew full and well Scarlet was Tom Metcalfe's son, and the Tracy's almost certainly had a relationship of some description with the man, because of Metcalfe's role in the same historic Mars mission as the world famous Jeff Tracy, "Be as it may, Mason's order still stands," he said, with a warning look at Blue. "International Rescue is to turn over all information they have on the Mysterons to Spectrum, and they are not to continue any further research into them, without prior clearance from Spectrum and World Intelligence," he turned his attention to the Tracy's. "You are also not to actively pursue or engage with the Mysteron's, unless they attack you first… Is that understood?"

"If that's what you wish," Alan replied darkly. "But know if they attack us again we will defend ourselves, and I can't guarantee the safety of Spectrum's Mysteron officers, if they get too close to us."

"I don't expect you to roll over for them," Ronalds replied. "Just stay out of the crossfire, you are not a military organisation after all."

"F.A.B." Alan replied.

"One more thing before I leave," Ronalds added, as paramedics came to take Mason away. "How is Russia and China leaving the world government affecting your movements?"

Alan looked at Ronalds, "John is working on that with Penelope's assistance," he replied. "We hope to be able to fly our craft in their airspace's and keep the personnel that are citizens of their countries on our payrolls."

"Doesn't that put you in a precarious position when it comes to helping us?" Blue asked.

"It shouldn't," Tanusha replied. "Unless you're a Mysteron or from Bereznik, we are politically neutral for the most part."

Ronalds sighed, as moved to leave, "Keep me advised on how you go," he commented. "I better get back to it, there are going to be some hard days ahead, and we going to need to be at the top of our game."

0o0o0

Alan looked over what was left of the GDF base, after the President left, as he pulled a jump drive out of his pocket, most of the base was rubble, but the parts of the base that had the anti Mysteron missiles fired into them, was miraculously still standing.

"The parts of the building that are still standing were rigged to blow like the rest of the place," Colonel Blue as if answering Alan's silent question commented. "But the explosives didn't explode, when we gave the bombs a closer inspection we found that the circuitry in them had been bunt out, so as angry as I am at you for putting a couple of my people at risk, your weapon ultimately saved the lives of people that survived the initial attack, especially the officers that weren't with the GDF troops, when the Mysterons blew the base."

Alan gave Blue a side eye, "So you're grateful and mad at us at the same time?" He quipped.

"Hey, your weapon did what it was meant to do," Blue replied. "It literally fried everything under the Mysteron's control in seconds, themselves included."

"But not your Mysteronized officers," Alan pointed out. "You really don't know why, they weren't affected."

"There is a working theory," Blue replied. "That suggests that the officers we have are not exactly Mysteron's per se, but something else entirely," he shrugged. "I can't go in to details because I'm forbidden to discuss things, but the difference may have been the reason why your weapon didn't work on them."

"And let me guess," Alan grumbled. "You have no way of confirming it either way."

"Not without talking to the Mysterons," Blue quipped back. "And asking them directly."

"Yeah, somehow I don't think they would give you and honest answer on that," Alan replied, as he passed the jump drive over to Blue. "This is a copy of all the information and research we have done on the Mysterons so far, I know intelligence wants us to hand over all copies, and drop the subject, but we can't do that in good conscience, not after what they did to Kallen and Dianne, the Mysterons need to be stopped, and while we are not going to be one's leading the charge, we want to give support to the ones that do, regardless of our position on your Mysteron officers."

Blue took the jump drive from Alan, "I understand," he replied. "Do you still have the communicator Turquoise gave you?"

"They are currently disabled, but yes," Kayo answered. "Why do you ask?"

"While I think it would be a good idea to let Kesha and Sophia contact the officers that they have a relationship with, even if it's just for some kind of closure, I'm not expecting that from you," Blue replied, ignoring the glare that Rose was shooting him, obviously disagreeing with that statement. "I do expect you to contact us through them, if you encounter an issue that requires us, that might clash with intelligence, there is a option on them that allows you to contact me directly, without needing to go through my personnel, if that's a route you prefer."

Alan and Kayo exchanged a look, "I wouldn't wait by the communicator for us to call," Alan replied. "But we will take your suggestion under consideration."

"That's all I ask," Blue replied, as he looked over the destroyed base and sighed. "I have put in a request to have Mysteron detectors at every GDF base, similar to what we have at Spectrum, that would quietly alert us to any agents that may infiltrate their bases."

"My father tried to do that," Tim pointed out. "The higher ups thought it would cost to much, and questioned how he knew about them."

"We heard about that, and we thought they were fools then," Blue replied. "He obviously didn't give up his source or this reprimand would have happened at lot sooner," he sighed. "You would honestly they would have considering the number of military personnel and vehicles the Mysterons have taken over the years."

"And used them to do stuff like this, not doubt,"Alan sighed.

"Well they have tried to blow Skybase out of the sky, using said Military assets," Blue quipped back. "On more than one occasion…"

"And you raised children in that environment?" Alan asked, remembering what Kesha and Sophia had said about Turquoise and Coral. "Wouldn't they had been safer on the ground away from the action?"

Blue cocked an eyebrow at the sudden change of subject, "We didn't have a choice with Coral," he answered, darkly. "Mysterons kept on trying to kill or kidnap her, almost every time she was off Skybase, much to the dismay of her parents, who did want her to have as normal childhood as possible regardless of the circumstances."

Alan frowned, "They really took that much exception to a child of their own kind?" He asked.

"They have called her an abomination, to both Scarlet's and her face," Blue replied. "And that she is expected to atone for her race's sins, by her death or enslavement."

"Enslavement?" Kayo asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Basically, what you would think it means," Blue replied. "This goes into the territory of her, Mahogany and Scarlet being something different, because trust me when I say Mysterons really don't like them, and will single them out whenever they get the opportunity."

"But that doesn't explain the normal human kids, being on Skybase," Alan replied. "What was the reason behind them being there?"

Blue sighed softly, "The official reasons given were, to prevent the loss of highly trained personnel due to starting families, and so Coral could grow up around children her age," he replied. "But to be perfectly honest with you, nowhere on this planet is one hundred percent safe from the Mysterons, they were just as safe from them on Skybase, as they would have been on the ground."

As Alan mulled over Blue's comments, the Colonel's comm beeped, "Duty calls, I'm afraid," Blue commented. "I have to go, good luck with the things to come, don't be strangers, see you later."

"F.A.B." Alan replied. "Same to you."

It was a few minutes later and they were heading back to their vehicles when Alan realised he had forgotten to ask Blue something, "Damn it!" He snarled.

"What is it, Alan?" Kayo asked.

"Turquoise," Alan replied, while starting to laugh hysterically.

"I forgot to ask Blue about who Sophia's turkey baster, actually was…"

Notes: Oh diddums, Alan, but it probably isn't the best time to learn that he's still alive considering all the other things going on…