International Rescue: The Next Phase


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Re: The Call Goes Out [message #21 is a reply to message #20] Tue, 17 July 2012 21:18 Go to previous messageGo to previous message
Tikatu is currently offline  Tikatu
Messages: 813
Registered: April 2012
Location: South Carolina
Karma:
Field Commander
Ubiquitous one
Date: Saturday, February 4, 2068; Time: 7 p.m.; Place: Tracy Island

"John has gone to get that mechanic from Lady Penelope's," Cherry Tracy reported to her father. He looked up and gave her a smile, then stood and opened his arms.

"How about a hug, Princess?" he asked. Cherry smiled back and came around to hug her adoptive father.

"Thanks, Princess. I needed that," he said as he kissed her on the forehead and sat back down. "Now, John is gone with Tracy One. It will still be after noon on Saturday when he gets to Penelope's. What's the status of the good professor?"

"Brains and Tin-Tin have taken her on a tour of the base," Cherry told Jeff. "And Gordon should be back in a little bit from his fishing trip with Alex. I radioed them about ten minutes ago."

"Thank you, Cherry. You've been a big help this weekend. I'm glad I could delegate the 'keeping track of people' business to you. I'll discuss the aquanaut candidates with Gordon when he gets here." Jeff looked over at the sofa where Dianne sat cross-legged, a small pile of data padds on one side of her, a larger one on the other.

"How's it going, dearest?"

Dianne sighed. "I've whittled the pile down to four candidates. But I'm having a hard time choosing just one."

"Is that LifeFlight nurse one of them? Dominic Kelly? He seems to be a real go-getter. Did you see John's note on the boy he found?"

"Yes, Jeff, I did. And he's still a candidate. But he's a surgical nurse by training. I'd really like an emergency room nurse. Like this Nikki Jackson." Dianne dropped the padds in her lap. "I just don't know how to choose!"

"Well, why just one? Why not two?" said a voice from behind them. Emily Tracy entered the lounge, balancing a tray of plates with slices of warm apple pie a la mode. Cherry got up from where she was idly perusing one of her mother's digital clipboards and took the tray from the elderly woman. "Thank you, Cherry." Kyrano followed with coffee on a tray and a glass of milk for the teenager.

"Two? Two nurses?" Jeff asked. Dianne almost bounced up and down in her excitement.

"Yes, two!" she exclaimed. "One to pilot and the other to help me treat. Or they switch off duties in the sickroom and in Thunderbird Seven. It would be much more flexible to have two nurses. That way, if one got sick, the other would be available." She got up and gave her mother-in-law a hug and a kiss. "What a terrific idea, Em! Thank you!"

"You're welcome, dearie." Emily passed out the pie, laying a piece down next to her daughter-in-law, who looked up and murmured another "thank you". Dianne shuffled through her four candidates and finally selected two.

"Okay, Jeff," she said, getting up to pass the data padds over to her husband. "These are my top two. The others will be in reserve if these two don't want the position. Let's set up interviews as soon as possible. I really feel an urgency about more medical personnel."

"Nikki Jackson and Dominic Kelly." Jeff read the names. "Okay, love. You've got it."

The two looked up to see Gordon come in. He made a beeline for Dianne's pie, but Cherry reached out and smacked his hand as he reached for it.

"That's Mom's. Get your own."

"Ooh! Never knew little sisters could be so violent," he joked, putting the affected hand on Cherry's head and quickly ruffling her hair.

"Not the hair!" she shouted. He made a face at her, which she returned, and then he went to face his father. Both father and stepmother had looked at each other, rolled their eyes, and shaken their heads over their fourth son's antics.

"You wanted to see me, Dad?" Gordon asked. Dianne retreated back to the sofa and her pie and coffee.

"Yes, son. I want your input on our candidates for aquanaut recruits. I've brought the list down to three. All have fine qualifications, but I want you to look them over. You'll be the one training and working with him or her, after all."

Gordon looked over the three clipboards thoroughly, walking slowly around the room as he did so. When he had read the last one, he came back to the desk.

"McCain. Brandon McCain. He's got glowing reports from the toughest commander in all of WASP. The fact that he stayed the course for as long as he did says that he's loyal. He's got both above and below the surface capabilities, and is a dive master as well. He's even got some mechanical training and is part of Tracy Industries. Hell, he's better qualified than I am!"

"He doesn't have the experience you do, Gordon. He'll be under your command. And once Thunderbird Eight is complete, you and he will have separate crafts to pilot," Jeff reminded him.

"Yeah. I know. He's got more experience with the type of craft that Eight is going to be," Gordon said, a touch of melancholy in his voice.

Jeff looked at him keenly. "Gordon? Is there anything I need to know here?"

Gordon looked at Jeff. For a moment, Jeff could swear his son's eyes were haunted. Then he smiled and the impression left.

"Nah. I'm okay. Just have to get used to the fact that I'll no longer be the only aquanaut." He scratched his head and scuffed his sandal. "You need me for anything else?"

"No, Gordon. Not really. If I do, I'll call you."

Gordon started to the doors to the patio. Then he turned back. "Hey, Dad. How's the construction going?"

Jeff smiled. "Very well. The sheer number of work crews is making things go easily. Each crew is responsible for half of one level. We'll get ten apartments out of the Cliff House, four two bedroom and six one bedroom studios. Of course we'll have to upgrade the entries and the monorail system. I want to put a speed monorail that connects directly with the lifts to the Villa. Of course, that's something you boys are going to have to work on. We can't have the work crews in Thunderbird Two's hangar, now can we?"

"No, we can't. When do we start that construction?"

"As soon as John gets back here with our mechanic candidate."

Gordon's eyes lit up. "You mean Lady Penelope's mini-mechanic? The one I danced with on New Year's Eve? Kat?"

Jeff chuckled. "Yes, Gordon. Kat. She'll be here in a few hours so don't go out fishing again, please. No matter now much Alex begs and pleads."

"Yes, sir." Gordon finally turned and left the house.

Jeff looked up as Dianne came and took his empty plate. "I hope we're choosing the right people, dear heart."

"We will, Jeff. We'll get the right ones."

Post by Tikatu on 01/06/2004

Jeff heartbeat Dianne plain My IR:TNP OTP!

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