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| Re: Home is Where the Heart Is [message #2164 is a reply to message #2163] |
Sun, 29 July 2012 19:22   |
Lillehafrue
Messages: 478
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northeastern USA
Karma:
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TB Pilot
Evil Genius |
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From: Tikatu Sent: 10/1/2006 7:44 PM
Sunday, August 5, 9:35 a.m., Tracy Island time, in orbital approach to Danger Zone, Thunderbird Three (4:35 p.m., previous day, Murray Gill, KS)
Alan came up in the tiny lift, rubbing his hands. "Your turn, Callie," he said as he sat down behind the pilot's console.
"Thanks," she said as she rose. "Is everything still hot?"
"Yeah," Alan replied, checking over the settings and nodding with approval to see all was in order. He put his communicator in his ear. "We left you plenty of coffee, too."
"I'm looking forward to it." Callie entered the lift and pushed the switch that would bring her one level down to where the living quarters/infirmary level was. The smell of coffee and of bacon filled the air, and her stomach rumbled at the scent of it. "Breakfast twice in one day!" she quipped as she made her way around the central column to where the tiny eating area was. "Einstein?" she called, thinking she had missed the engineer, as she didn't see him. "Einstein?"
A voice sounded in her ear communicator. "Yes, Ursa?"
"Where are you?"
"In the, uh, lounge," Brains replied. "I thought I'd better clear the way so you could change your uniform."
"Oh. Thanks." Callie sighed slightly. "I'll let you know when the coast is clear."
"F-A-B," Brains replied.
As Callie began to strip off her grubby uniform, she recalled the beginning of their journey. The trip to Thunderbird Three had been a whirlwind in itself. Grandma Tracy and Kyrano were waiting in the lounge when the astronauts, followed in a few moments by Elise, entered the room.
"Now, here's a boxed breakfast for each of you," Grandma said as the three astronauts sat down on the green sofa. "I expect you to eat every bite on your way up to the rescue zone!"
"But Gran... GM!" Alan began to protest. "We had breakfast on our way to..."
Emily cut in. "I am aware that you each had MREs, but land's sakes! Those are not a proper breakfast! These boxes are!"
Alan appealed silently to his father, who shook his head. "In matters of food, Indy, I do not argue with her."
"And he's wise not to do so," Emily snapped. "Now, K has already put clean uniforms in Three for you, uh, Indy, and for you, um, Ursa. Change into them on the way." She looked the two already tired operatives up and down. "We have a reputation to uphold and it wouldn't do to have you present yourself to the public in grubby uniforms." She shook a finger at Alan and Brains. "I expect you two to be gentlemen..."
"That's quite enough," Jeff said curtly, shutting off his mother's harangue. "The boys know their manners and they all know their job. It's time we sent them on their way." He turned to address the trio. "Quasar has more information to download to you. Good luck, and keep us posted."
"F-A-B," Alan responded smartly. Jeff pressed on the button, and the sofa began to lower into the floor. As it did, Callie could hear Mrs. Tracy say to Elise, "Now as for you, young lady, it's off to the dining room with you..."
She slid her clean uniform pants up over her hips and buttoned them, zipping up the fly, then replaced the communicator in her ear. "I'm decent, Einstein, if you want to come up. I could use the company."
"On my way."
Callie had her boots on by the time Brains made it up the one level. He didn't have a visor; they still had to come up with one that mimicked his eyeglass prescription, but he looked smart in his dark brown shirt. "Feel better?" he asked as he poured himself a travel mug of coffee.
"Somewhat. I'll feel even better when I get a shower."
"While you eat, I'll let both you and Indy see what I've decided on as a solution to this problem."
Callie sat down at the tiny table and Brains opened up his laptop computer. "You with me Indy?"
"Reading you strength five," he said.
"Quasar?"
A small box popped up on the computer screen. "I'm here," John said, the small picture a live representation of him.
"Good."
Callie took a bite of pancake as Brains began to talk. "We're on a slingshot trajectory that should bring us into the danger zone within our time frame. Two of us will space walk over to the satellites with the goal of turning off the malfunctioning thruster. Then we have the option of planting charges to destroy the two satellites, cutting them apart and setting them adrift, or changing their trajectory so they re-enter the atmosphere and burn up there."
"Destroying the two satellites is going to create headaches of its own," Callie said. "The debris itself could damage the ISS, and not only them, but other manned or unmanned satellites in low Earth orbit. And there's no guarantee that the satellites would burn up completely on reentry, either."
"Setting them adrift may also cause problems further down the road," Alan added.
"Agreed. I may have another solution, though." Callie took a gulp of juice, then continued, "Take the satellites in close tether and drag them out to a higher orbit, or even shove them out of Earth orbit entirely."
"As tempting as that is," Brains said, "we just don't have the time. We may be needed back at the Danger Zone in Kansas."
"They'll be wrapping up at the high school soon," John said. "Base says you're to take as long as you need, within reason."
"Who is going to space walk?" Alan asked.
Brains and Callie exchanged glances. "I have friends on the ISS, and I don't want to run the risk of being recognized," she said. "So whichever job is going to minimize that possibility, I'll do."
"F-A-B," Alan said. "ETA to Danger Zone, forty-five minutes."
"I'll keep in touch. Thunderbird Five on standby," John said. His picture went static. Callie and Brains exchanged glances.
"So," Brains asked, taking his communicator out of his ear and sitting down across the table from her with his coffee. "Who do you know on the ISS?"
Callie swallowed her mouthful, and began to tell him.
98% pure evil...and loving every minute of it.
 
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