Power Play
A Thunderbirds Fan fiction
By Time Guardian
Summary: A few years after the attack on Thunderbird Five, Alan Tracy is graduating Wharton Academy and his father is ready to allow him the tradition of choosing a summer activity to get into before joining International Rescue. Meanwhile, a mysterious organization has plans for the Hood…
Chapter One – Danger Zone
Scott Tracy felt as nervous as the first time that he had commanded an International Rescue operation. They had been called to a scene where there were several car crash victims, which normally in itself would have been simple, but the conditions made it downright dangerous.
The mountain road that they had been called to had suffered a fog bank of the worst kind. A temperature inversion along with the chemical smoke coming from a factory only a few miles away made for a solid white fog that laid low across the road. At least three cars had gotten snared in its obliterating visibility before someone had enough sense to call the authorities who in turn called the Thunderbirds due to the isolated and dangerous nature of the accident scene.
After careful a careful flyover and scan of the area in Thunderbird One, Scott determined that two of the cars were precariously perched over the curve, threatening to drop into the canyon that the mountain overlooked. The third had taken a plunge over the curve, only to be stopped by an outstretched tree branch jutting out from the lower part of the mountain.
Thanks to the assistance of Thunderbird Two's scanners and tow ropes, Virgil and Gordon had made short work of the two cars that were still partially on the road, being able to steady them and drag them away from the precarious edge. The paramedics that were on-scene were then able to evacuate each of the car's occupants, who miraculously escaped with only minor injuries.
Scott did his best to evaluate the exact position of the last car despite the lingering white fog. Brains had come along on this rescue and was furiously working from Thunderbird Two in order to make a compound to quickly dissipate the fog. Until they could get that fog out of their way, he had to stay close to the mountain to do his scan, which was making him feel very uneasy. Opportunity finally came with a brief gap in the fog, and Scott managed to get an idea of the size and shape of the branch that was holding the car up.
The branch itself was quite large, splitting outwards about halfway down its length, making the whole thing look like a y shape. Cradled at the midpoint of the branch, the small compact car looked like it would blow over at anytime.
After gauging the slope of the mountain, a quick plan formed in his mind, and Scott contacted Thunderbird Two to relay what he had in mind. "Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Two, Virgil, have Gordon deploy the rescue platform and lower it to the height of where that car is situated. I'm going to land and rappel down to the car to feed the victim over to the rescue platform."
That plan had come into question quicker than Scott thought it would.
Gordon's dissention exploded over the communication link. "Are you nuts? You have seen that fog out there. You were lucky to be able to see the car from your vantage point in Thunderbird One, how are you going to be able to guide yourself down the mountain to the car if you can't see it?"
Bless Brains, the miracle maker. Seconds after Gordon made his opinion known, the scientist came on the line from his position in the cargo area of Thunderbird Two. "I-I got the chemical ready for you, Scott. It is in powder form, and s-should be what we need to dis- dis- make that fog go poof."
Scott quirked a smile at Brain's use of the word poof, but the news only served to reaffirm the decision in his mind. "Now that we have a way to take care of that fog," he declared over the communication link, "We will go with the plan as I laid it out. There's not much choice, that mountain slope is too steep to risk getting the rescue platform any closer than fifty feet. There would also be no way to steady the car and get the victims out safely if a good strong wind comes through without a guiding hand from someone nearer the car. Are we clear?"
Virgil and Gordon's voices were unanimous. "FAB."
Coming up with the plan and putting it into play turned out to be two separate challenges. Scott landed Thunderbird One near a flat part of the mountain about a mile away from the scene. Scott scrambled back down along the road carrying climbing gear that he had stored in Thunderbird One.
As he approached the scene, Scott noticed that Thunderbird Two was hovering above, dispersing the powder that brains had told him about. Within minutes, the white haze that had obliterated the view of the mountain curve had disappeared, leaving a clear view of the precarious position of the last car.
Scott moved to the edge of the curve overlooking the trapped car, then shrugged into the harness he had brought with him, securing a main and a safety line both to the each of the harness straps near his waist. From his belt, he hooked a small bag containing first aid supplies. Above him Thunderbird Two hovered, and Scott could see the rescue platform being lowered. As he had suspected, due to the slope of the mountain Scott saw that the closest the platform could get was right around fifty feet, but if he could secure what passengers he found using safety lines from the platform, Gordon could haul them to safety, leaving Scott free to climb back up on his line.
He grabbed what had looked like a small air gun from the other side of his belt and fired it at the ground just at the edge where he was planning to climb down. There was a hiss of air, then a large hook and anchor shot out, embedding itself deeply into the ground in front of him. Scott quickly tugged on it to make sure it was in solid, and then quickly set to work, setting up both lines and routing them through his harness and the hook in the ground. With the proper knots to keep everything secure, Scott turned around and took a breath. With the exception of climbing the climbing wall at the gym, he had not personally been mountain climbing since he was a teenager, and as far as rescues went, normally Scott was safe and sound in Thunderbird One, relying on his 'bird to do the work for him. This would definitely be a challenge to say the least.
After hooking up an earpiece communicator, Scott looped the rope in his hands, and with a thought and a prayer, slowly stepped back and outward. When he dropped over the edge lowering himself down hand over hand, Scott was thankful for keeping his flight gloves on. It seemed tedious at first, but after a few feet, he finally found himself on an even level with the car. Luck seemed to be on his side for the moment - the winds that had brought the blinding haze through in the first place seemed to have left. The large tree branch that was holding the car steady seemed to be unmoving.
The car itself was a small economical model, the type his brother Alan would say "need a shoehorn and luck to get into." Looking inside, he could see the head of a young man slumped back against the seat, and judging by his looks, did not look to be more than eighteen years old. Scott quickly spoke into his earpiece communicator. "Jeez, Gordon we have a kid in the car, and looks to be the only occupant. Male, looks to be about eighteen. Shoot over a line and a harness would you?"
His brother replied quickly. "FAB."
While Gordon was prepping what he would need, Scott carefully secured another hook for himself beside the tree and secured one of his lines to it. Now that he had a secure point to work from, he carefully opened the door of the car and took a better look at the teenager in the front seat.
The teen had dark brown hair that was tied off into a short ponytail behind him. His eyes were closed, and leaning far back into his seat, no doubt influenced by the deployment of the airbag, which lay deflated on the floorboard. After a quick inspection and determination that the kid did not have any ribs broken, Scott reached into his case at his belt and brought out an inflatable neck brace of Brain's creation. Upon exposure to the sunlight, a small solar battery cell at the base of the unit inflated the whole thing, turning it into a full sized neck brace in mere seconds.
There was a hiss of air, and Scott saw that Gordon had shot over the line he would need from the rescue platform. The hook at the end of the line embedded itself deeply into the nearby rock. Around him, Scott could feel the wind pick up, and he knew that their time was short.
Scott took care to put the brace around the boy's neck, and after securing it using the provided Velcro closures, nudged himself back out of the car to grab for the line that Gordon had shot over. The line from the rescue platform had secured about a foot away from his position, and from it dangled a small portable harness. With as much caution as he could muster, Scott used the leverage of his own line and shimmied over until he has able to grab the harness and let out enough line to where he could take it over to where the car was. It took precious moments and careful maneuvering, but Scott managed to feed the straps around the unconscious boy, and secured them tightly. "Okay Gordon, take him in slow."
From a signal on the rescue platform, Scott watched as the winch tightened the line and with a little nudging, the teen was lifted out of the car seat and swung out towards the line that Gordon had used. He stayed in position as victim was remotely drawn up into the confines of the rescue platform. Moments later, he got the confirmation that he was looking for. "I've got him Scott, safe and sound. Get yourself back up that mountain."
Scott smiled. Chalk up another rescue completed to International Rescue. "FAB, Gordon, I am on my way."
He turned to adjust his lines for the climb back up when one of his knots came undone. Scott shouted in surprise as he quickly slid downwards towards the canyon below.
"SCOTT!"
Scott shut out Gordon 's frantic voice as he struggled to get a good hold on both of his ropes, and gripped them as tightly as he could. Just as quickly his impromptu descent started, it stopped just as quickly. Tremors from the adrenaline rush coursed through him as he quickly moved to make a new knot to replace the one that had failed him. Scott had chosen to take this part of the assignment, but berated himself for the quality of his knots that had been keeping him in place. He made a mental note to get to the gym with the rock climbing wall at his earliest opportunity.
Scott took a shuddering breath as he realized Gordon was still squawking in his ear. "Scott! You better answer me or I swear dad will find out about those personal phone calls-"
He couldn't help it - his brother resorting to blackmail to get an answer from him? Scott chuckled. "I'm fine, Gordon. The pride was hurt more than anything else, and if you dare tell dad about those personal phone calls, I will regail him with tales on what truly happened to his prized sailboat. Now let me get back up this safety line."
After he calmed his breathing, Scott maneuvered his lines and made the painful journey back up to where he had started from. His hands ached from where he had stopped himself from falling, but the gloves should have protected him from getting any major rope burn.
Hand over hand, Scott used his upper arm strength along with what traction he could find with his feet to scale back up the mountain. Minutes later, when Scott was only a foot away from his goal, he heard a huge groan and then a crash. Looking behind him, he realized the car that they had recovered the teen from had become dislodged from its perch and careened into the canyon below with a loud metallic crash. He continued the climb until he had reached the roadway, but he couldn't quite get that crashing noise out of his head.
That had been way too close for comfort.
Thunderbird Two had taken off with the injured passengers, and after Scott spoke with the local authorities who had called in a couple of tow trucks to clear the rest of the wreckage, he gathered up his climbing gear and turned to walk back up the road back to Thunderbird One.
Minutes later, Scott stowed his gear in Thunderbird One's hold and wiped the sweat off his brow. This had not been his first time in command at a danger zone, but it had been a hairy one indeed.
There was a good reason he was in command today. His brother Alan Tracy was graduating from Wharton Academy and his father, Jefferson Tracy, was traveling there to watch it happen.
At first when Alan had called home with the news of his final marks and that he would be graduation with a strong B average, Scott could hardly believe it. This was the same kid that only years earlier had with the help of his friends, frustrated the Hood, foiled his plan to rob the World Banks, and restore communications to Thunderbird Five when they had thought the situation had been hopeless. He had also been the same one to see how Alan went from someone who would cut corners to get what he wanted, into a methodical person who had worked hard for this day to come.
His dad had faith in Alan, Scott could tell. The only thing that had held Alan back was the over eagerness that he had exhibited initially. Dad knew best - he had seen similar ambitions in all of his sons to one degree or another. Scott remembered all too well the lecture he had received initially when he was in boarding school after a certain chemistry lab 'incident' that had initially given his teachers a very colorful impression of him.
Alan would find his niche soon enough. If Scott remembered right, dad would be offering Alan the summer off to do what he wanted before he went forward with any plans for college or the 'family business.'
Scott smirked at the prospect. He had a feeling of what his brother would choose, and he only hoped that his father was prepared for the consequences.
He climbed the ladder on Thunderbird One and opened the canopy, setting his protesting body in the cushioned comfort of the pilot's seat. If he hurried, there would be just enough time to report in to John and then get home for a shower and a much-needed nap.
"Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Five, come in."
High in space, Thunderbird Five space station orbited high above Earth. Ever since the attack on the station years ago, the security protocols protecting its location were agreed upon by and strengthened by Jeff Tracy and Brains. After a few high profile space rescues, the Prime Minister of Britain and the President of the United States also came to a mutual agreement that the location of the space station would best be served as a secret of the highest order.
On the main communications deck, John Tracy leaned back in his chair and had been listening to the audio of the rescue his brothers were on. It had seemed pretty normal, up until when Scott nearly slipped off the side of the mountain. John had already acknowledged Thunderbird Two as they had taken off for the local hospital, and if he knew his brother well enough, Scott should be calling in 3, 2 -
"Thunderbird One to Thunderbird Five, come in."
John smiled as he acknowledged the communication and Scott's face quickly came up on his video communicator screen. "Scott, you are a second early, that's a new record for you."
He bit back a laugh as he saw Scott shake his head in exasperation and retort. "I am not that predictable! Seesh, can not you take my report like a normal brother? I kind of had enough of life in the command chair for the moment anyway."
"Hey, you did well in the command chair today. That kid is safe because of you," John countered, "though judging by Gordon's tale, you need to bone up on your knot tying. How about we go climbing when I come down there next time?"
Scott smiled. "That might be a while, especially with Alan graduating and dad getting ready to make him the big summer offer. Remember when I told him what I wanted to do with my summer before coming on board to International Rescue?"
John laughed. "Do I ever. I think I finally got over that fit of laughing when you appeared on "Survivor: Moon base. However, I thought you were supposed to put on that infamous Tracy charm of yours, not be the first one voted off."
Scott's embarrassed look told him enough. Stifling his laughter, John continued. "Still it is good to see dad getting out of the driver's seat even for a little while. Alan told me the other night that he was eager to spill his summer plans right away, but I recommended to him to get the graduation over first before trying to give dad a coronary."
Scott groaned. His suspicions had been verified. "You don't mean-"
John nodded. "Yup. Our own resident speed demon is itching to get near a racetrack."
"That's asking for trouble," Scott smirked, "I think dad is still trying to steel his nerves from where he bought him a motorcycle as his graduation gift. Ah well, we will know the fallout soon enough. Alan's graduation is only a few hours away. Meanwhile my ETA home should be two hours from now. After all of that climbing, I need a shower and few hours of Z's. Thunderbird One out."
As Scott's face disappeared from the screen, John settled back into his chair on Thunderbird 5 and turned to watch the Earth through the view port. From his vantage point, the sun was just starting to peek out from its hiding spot, casting it's brilliant influence over the planet.
A new day is dawning.
In a distant undersea base, a man watched and waited as weak threads of sunlight illuminated the sea bed around him. Another day was dawning and it was time to act.
His plan was large and ambitious, and needed many things to come together if he wanted to dominate the world. He would need to bring many elements together, one of which was rotting away in a British prison of sorts. The rest would fall into place with the agents he had recruited around the world. Victory would be sure and swift, and no organization would be able to stop them, not even the Thunderbirds. Since his agent had so much trouble in the past with them, he decided to deal with them first. No distractions meant that his plan could proceed.
Then every major world power would be at his beck and call to control.
See my profile for more details about this project. This is my first foray into this fandom, and I hope I can do it justice. Enjoy. :)