This one is for March of the OCs and @gaviiadastra It is not much, just a rambling scene that wrote itself. It doesn’t go anywhere or do anything, but it is Gordon and Sam and some friends and brothers.
Kermadec AU, after Minerva and before Kermadec Whales, but with no whales or dolphins involved (though I was tempted :D ) Also, I should add a warning for romance with Scott/OC, but they are really only scenery...much commented on scenery.
I hope you enjoy.
-o-o-o-
“So, do you think they’ve forgotten we’re here?” Gordon took a sip of his mocktail and stared out into the surf.
“Who?” Sam had his foot up on the edge of the blow-up pool. His other foot was dumped on the sand to his left, lest it catch the plastic and put an end to their spa.
Well, it wasn’t really a spa. More of a kids inflatable swimming pool half buried in sand and topped up with a mixture of sea and hot spring water, courtesy of Raoul’s highly active volcano.
Gordon shifted where he sat, a smile curving around the bamboo straw in his mouth. “Oh, Scotty and Mel.”
Sam snorted. “Forgotten, no. I think they just think we can’t see them.”
The surf was on the calmer end of Oneraki Beach’s wave action spectrum. A simple solid swell, built somewhere near Tracy Island or Tonga beyond, that was rolling in at a regular beat. It was perfect for surfing and along with the equally perfect weather, had made up a perfect day to drop in on some friends.
Even Johnny had come down, and after spending sometime showing off in the body surfing stakes, was now snoring in Thunderbird One’s shadow.
Earlier Gordon had slipped past him and gently placed a large sun hat on his face.
Because he could.
The knocked-together spa Sam and Gordon were currently lazing in was also in One’s shadow. Not the most orthodox use of one of the world’s premiere rescue vehicles, but it did make a great beach tent.
Secretly Gordon thought Two made an even better one, but he was saving that line until he needed it. Had to have two elder brothers in the same room to get that argument up and running.
He grinned to himself nonetheless.
“You know, I really think she’s fallen for your big bro.”
Gordon arched an eyebrow at his friend. “You think so?”
Sam turned to look at him. “Well, it’s been, what, six months?”
A calculation in his head. “I guess.” Come to think of it, he wasn’t aware of Scott straying anywhere else during that time. Hadn’t even picked up any new phone numbers. Even those thrown at him.
“He’s been very patient.” Sam slurped his drink, an orange and purple concoction that Gordon was determined to try next.
“What do you mean?”
“You know. She’s been alone this long for a reason.”
Gordon frowned. “What reason?”
“Her job. The isolation. Her obsession with these islands.”
“She can be challenging. I’ll give you that. Only person I ever saw Dad back down from.”
“Really?”
“Yep. That was a day.” He grinned. “Why do you think he sent me to liaise when we moved in and didn’t do it himself?”
“Weren’t you like fourteen or something when you moved out here?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry, Virg played escort.” He sucked on his straw. “Half the reason why she wanted to climb him like a tree.”
“Well, she’d climbing another one of your brothers right now.”
“I think I’m scarred for life.” He screwed up his face. Those two definitely thought they couldn’t be seen standing in waist deep surf and behind One’s fuselage. His brother was obviously distracted if he was making such a tactical error. Not that they were doing anything risqué, but they were definitely very involved with each other.
Gordon was happy for the both of them. They were both lonely and if they found something together, it couldn’t be anything but a good thing.
“How’s things with you and your ladyship?”
He glared at Sam. “Fine, thank you very much. And her name is Penelope.”
“Oh, it’s like that is it?”
“Yes, it is.”
Sam giggled.
“Shut up.”
“Why? It’s so entertaining to see you squirm.”
“Do I need to chat to Liam?”
“To what? Find out all our secrets?” He snorted. “Go for it.” Sam went back to his drink.
“God, no. I’m traumatised enough with those two out there.” He waved his hand in the general direction of his big brother and his scientist friend who were now attempting a mutual tonsillectomy.
“You should have invited her over. We would love to spend some time with her.”
“And what, tell her all my secrets?”
An arched eyebrow. “You have secrets?”
“What? I live on a secret island!”
“From which you launch rockets, on the Kermadec Ridge, one of the most seismically active and most monitored regions on the planet.”
“That’s exactly why we’re here! Camouflage!”
Sam grinned. “Calm down. I’m not after your secret stuff.” He twisted his lips. “Though you might want your genius engineer to double check that camouflage up against our latest sensors. I’m guessing it is Thunderbird Three that is messing with the readings.”
Gordon stared at him. “What?”
Sam took another sip of his drink. “Not worth panicking over. We only noticed it last week when the first of them were installed. Not one hundred percent sure, but worth checking. And before you think we’re into Tracy Island espionage, we just matched the readings up with the news reports. We think it’s Three, but I could be wrong.”
“Thanks.” It was a sobering thought.
“But today is a work free zone, so I’m changing the topic. Mel has probably reported it to your commander via Morse code on his uvula anyway.”
“Thank you for that gross image.”
“You’re welcome.”
Gordon stretched out in the water, wonderfully warm. The day was a beautiful one, but relaxing in volcanic springwater was something to be done down here at any time.
On his pile of dry sand, further under One, John snorted and rolled over, dropping the sunhat and face-planting into it.
Well, there was the benefit of wearing a sunhat in the shade. So kindly supplied by a younger brother.
Turning in the opposite direction of his sleeping brother, Gordon spied two figures finally returning from their walk up the beach.
Virgil had traded his usual flannel for a linen shirt and his jeans for swim shorts. Both arms were sporting the forearm crutches he still had to use in the wake of his leg injuries from months before. The crutches had been fitted with sand traction and he still seemed to be moving okay.
Scott had refused to let him wander up the beach alone with his camera, hence Alan walking along beside him.
It would have been Scott in Alan’s place, but a quick word to Mel had her distracting his overprotective brother.
Gordon had been prepared to go with, but Alan jumped in and off they went, Virgil muttering something about foliage, black sand, and colour contrasts.
Alan was likely to come back with a degree in colour theory.
But the two were talking animatedly and Virgil had that look that usually pre-empted his next series of amazing artwork.
Gordon found himself smiling.
“Looks like the plein-air partnership has returned. Give me a hand prepping their pool.”
“Sure, gimme two.” Sam reached over and grabbed his foot, sliding it smoothly over his stump and strapping it on.
Gordon clambered out of the warmth of the springwater and grabbed his towel. “Bucket duty time.”
The hot springs gushed naturally out of the sand at the top of the beach. The water was quite hot, so had to be mixed with a little sea water to lower the temperature to a comfortable level. Earlier in the day, the brothers, Sam and Mel had dug a couple of depressions in the sand, plopped in a couple of inflatable pools and filled them with a mixture of hot and cold water. Gordon loved to sit his butt in the mineral rich warmth. The steam coming off the beach was atmospheric - particularly on cold and cloudy days where it fogged up.
Today there was just a little steam and the sunshine. But the pools did need a little maintenance and for one of the thankfully few times in his life, Virgil wasn’t up for much heavy lifting.
So Gordon and Sam did the bucket carrying and by the time Virgil and Alan were within hearing distance, a fresh, warm bath awaited.
Virgil did look like he needed it.
Gordon had availed himself of these springs in the past for a very similar reason. It had been Sam and Virgil doing the shovelling and bucket carrying back then.
Out in the surf, Scott had turned and moved to where he could see the shore.
Gordon ignored him and hoped Mel could distract him back into tonsil hockey.
Virgil is fine. Take a break. Maybe get a room.
Apparently, Virgil was more than fine, the grin on his face fit to split something.
“Find yourself some pretty pictures?”
To Gordon’s surprise, it was Alan who answered. “You should see it, Gordy! So many coloured flowers against the black sand.”
Gordon stared at his little brother. Maybe Alan did get an art education on the beach. “Yeah?” He looked at Virgil.
“I found it inspirational.” Yes, there was light in his brother’s eyes.
“Great!” He gestured at the second pool as Sam emptied in a last bucket of hot water. “Take a load off?”
Virgil grunted, his shoulders dropping. “Don’t mind if I do.”
Both Gordon and Alan helped him down into the water, Alan talking about bindweed and pokey trees and birds the entire time.
It wasn’t often Alan took a lot of interest in wildlife, but apparently today it was the topic.
Gordon was hard pushed to hide the smile.
Second biggest brother now happily situated, Alan still babbling beside him, Gordon stepped up to the makeshift ‘bar’ - a storage crate from One’s cargo hold with a handful of mocktail ingredients stashed on it - and concocted a drink their resident artist would enjoy. He handed that and Alan’s favourite to his reclining brothers.
He then refreshed Sam and his own and returned to his little cocoon of lovely warm water.
Virgil relaxed back and sighed, drink in hand. “This is the life.”
Gordon held up his drink. “To Raoul and all her wonderful inhabitants and conveniences.”
Sam, who had plopped in beside him, again throwing his foot back onto the sand, held up his glass, paper umbrella and all. “To Raoul!”
Both Alan and Virgil shouted, “To Raoul!”
John rolled over onto his belly and began drooling into the sunhat.
Scott was now in even deeper water and much more distracted than even before.
AVOCADO TOAST THE SERIES is set to make its official world premiere May 18th, 2020 on OUTtvGO (Canada), Amazon (USA, UK), TelloFilms.com, HighballTV.com and OUTfilm.pl (Poland).
Toronto, ON – March 30, 2020
OUTtvGO introduces its brand-new and highly-anticipated sex comedy Avocado Toast the series following the story of two millennial friends, Molly and Elle, who are forced to learn about their parents’ new sexcapades after coming out and a divorce. The show is set to make its worldwide premiere May 18th, 2020 on OUTtv’s digital platform OUTtvGO (Canada), Vimeoand…
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13
Sorry for the delay on this, work beat me up for over a fortnight and I was little more than a smudge on the floor by the end of it. But! I did manage to finish this bit off this morning.
Many thanks to my wonderful cheerleaders @onereyofstarlight, @gaviiadastra @janetm74 and @tsarinatorment with extra thanks to @gaviiadastra for letting me play with her parts of this AU. ::hugs you all tight::
Warnings for Gordon’s potty mouth in this one, he is not a happy boi at all.
I hope you enjoy :D
-o-o-o-
“You need to talk to Sam, honey. He is beside himself.”
Grandma herded Gordon out of the infirmary, his last sight of Virgil was with Scott hovering over him.
“Is he going to be okay, Grandma?”
She didn’t answer immediately and that spiked his own worry even more.
“Virgil is strong and stubborn. I have no doubt he will recover.” She touched his arm. “This isn’t your fault, Gordon.”
“I pushed to get him out there.”
“Really? Since when has anyone been able to get Virgil to do anything he didn’t want to do?”
She had a point. Virgil was notorious for doing whatever the hell he wanted. The number of times he’d disobeyed an order from their commander were innumerable.
Yet each time they could only thank him.
Scott wouldn’t be alive otherwise.
Virgil was the sensible one. He didn’t do stupid things.
Until today.
Grandma sighed and hustled him down the hallway, stairs and into the comms room.
John was at their father’s desk, quietly running oversight remotely from Five.
Sam was pacing.
The moment he caught sight of Gordon he hurried over. “Is he going to be okay? I’m so sorry, Gordon.”
Gordon shoved a reassuring expression onto his face. “He’s going to be fine, Sam. Unless you tell him you didn’t catch all of that on record?”
The distraction worked. “Are you kidding me? We got everything. John has Eos doing calculations. We may even have enough for some kind of translation. This type of song has never been encountered before. Virgil’s replies alone…you have to thank him for me, Gords. This…” He flung both hands into the air. “…is groundbreaking.”
Gordon swallowed. God, he hoped all this was worth it.
But then the Virgil in his head spoke up. Of course, it was worth it. His brother wouldn’t see it any other way.
He wouldn’t have done it otherwise.
He thought back on all the work they had done. The enthusiasm Virgil had shown for it. And all the time, he had known it was doing something to his brain.
And he hadn’t told Gordon.
The dolphins…
Fuck.
Goddamnit, Virgil! Gordon needed to know more. Grandma had thrown up those graphs, but they meant nothing to him.
He spun on the spot and his grandmother straightened where she stood.
“I need to know what this is doing to him.”
Her lips thinned. “I don’t know, Gordon.”
“What?! How could you let him go out there not knowing?”
“Gordon, it was his choice.” She swallowed. “Investigation was done. Nothing harmful was identified.”
“But you said it has gotten worse. That he dropped out completely.”
And there was the hesitancy in her eyes.
“Grandma?” A lump in his throat. But then something else clicked into place. “You knew about the dolphins.” It wasn’t a question. “That’s why you ran me through that extra medical exam. You were looking for the same thing.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t find anything. You are fine.”
“What about John? Have you checked him?” It was hissed low enough for his space brother not to hear.
“John? Why?”
“Because he can speak to the dolphins as readily as Virgil. But because I didn’t know it was an issue, I didn’t know not to expose him!” The whisper became acidic and louder than it should have been.
“Gordon!” Scott stepped out of the elevator and into the conversation. “What the hell are you doing?” Blue eyes flared at him as he intervened between them.
What?! Did he think he would actually hurt his grandmother?
He glared up at his eldest brother. “I think that is a question you should be asking yourself.”
The temperature in the commander’s eyes grew frosty. “Are we still doing this? It was Virgil’s choice.”
“No, it wasn’t!” He clenched his fists. “It was mine! My research. I’m responsible. However, I didn’t have all the information. You! Both of you! Held back crucial data that could have gotten him killed! And in the meantime, I’ve exposed not only him, but John as well. How could you let me do that?!” God, it hurt.
“John? What does this have to do with John?” Scott frowned enough to carve a canyon in his face.
Gordon swallowed and faced that glare down. “We’ve befriended a dolphin pod, Scott. Virgil can communicate freely with them, he taught me, and John was a natural. Sam and I have been studying the process.”
Scott’s eyes widened. “What?”
Gordon’s voice caught in his throat. “If I had known…” He glared again. “Goddamnit, Scott!” He spun away, it all suddenly too much, too many whats, whys and whatifs.
“Dolphins?!” And there it was, the accusation. Gordon let it wash over him.
He didn’t turn to look back at his brother. “Yeah, you know, the cetaceans that live year ‘round in these waters. It’s not a stretch, Scott.” The sarcasm was unnecessary, but he felt it. “I didn’t think it was a problem. Was super careful and Virgil seemed to enjoy it.” He spun around. “There was no sign of it hurting him at all. Hell, he was happy!”
Grandma straightened where she stood. “Gordon, I was monitoring him. It didn’t affect him. He was okay.” She stepped around Scott and approached him, her hand landing on his arm. “You didn’t hurt him, I promise.”
“What about today?” He pinned her with his eyes. “What did I do to him today?”
She didn’t answer him.
Goddamnit.
Sam was frozen where he stood, obviously uncomfortable with the argument. Gordon pinned him with his eyes.
“We need to work this out. We need to understand what the hell is going on.” He pressed his lips together. “Virgil’s life may depend on it.”
Sam’s expression was tight as he gave a single nod.
Gordon turned back to his brother and grandmother. “And you need to give me all your data. We need the whole picture here. No more secrets!”
Grandma nodded solemnly, but Scott was obviously still wrestling with the fact more had been happening than he realised.
There would be more arguments later.
Gordon ignored him and turned to Sam. “We’re setting up in my lab. Meet you down there in ten.” With that he stormed out, heading in the direction of his rooms. He needed to change out of his uniform and possibly trash some furniture.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9
It is amazing that I can go all weekend without writing and then finish the next part in a matter of an hour shortly before midnight.
As always, many thanks to @onereyofstarlight who dug me out of a character stall in this bit and continues to cheerlead me :D And, of course, @gaviiadastra and @janetm74 who continue to read and shake pompoms on a regular basis. you guys are wonderful to me.
And Thunderfam at large who rock big time and all time ::tackle hugs the lot of you::
Virgil is giving Scott a bald spot in this one. I hope you enjoy it :D
-o-o-o-
He hit the water and was immediately surrounded by sound. Distant hums and rumbles, hisses and notes that radiated colour.
His head throbbed with each beat.
He forced his helmet over his head and activated the evac, draining the water from it and drying it out. A gasp and he was breathing again.
The weights still at his waist, kept him at depth in the water column. A Little Lightning’s engines faded in the distance.
He didn’t have long. Scott would be in the water in seconds with Gordon following not long after.
He needed to move.
But before he could key any notes into his keyboard, a dark shape emerged out of the blue. A rumble of familiarity and Mama whale’s massive flipper scooped him up. He ended up clinging to its leading edge as she took him away.
From his brothers.
His heart wailed at the thought.
But he had to do this.
Blue, green red and black danced across his vision.
-o-o-o-
“Goddamnit!”
Sam flinched at the anger in the commander’s tone.
“Gordon, stop the boat!” It was John who sent the command. “Virgil is overboard.”
“WHAT?!”
“Get me a location, now!” The commander’s lips were thin and his eyes on fire.
A Little Lightning slowed abruptly, the big yacht wallowing in the water as Scott grabbed his helmet. It was obvious he wanted to jump into the ocean after his brother.
John hissed, glaring at his wrist. “The mother whale has him. They’re moving off. Gordon, turn the boat around.” He threw navigational coordinates at the aquanaut.
Sam didn’t hear the FAB, but from the direction of the bridge an expletive best not repeated floated past.
A Little Lightning was far more agile than a yacht her size had any right to be. Sam stumbled as she abruptly changed direction and began pursuing Virgil. The Tracy family had obviously modified her.
John’s long legs had him across the boat, down into her belly and into the comms deck before Sam had a chance to think. Scott was fast behind him. Sam hurried to follow, his artificial foot, still deployed for swimming, hampering him on the stairs.
A massive hologram blossomed in the middle of the room, big enough to show Virgil and the incoming whale company.
Virgil was being dragged along by Mama whale.
Wow.
This was supposed to be a simple encounter. How had it suddenly become high end drama?
Maybe all those stories Gordon was so fond of spouting about his family were true?
Bloody hell.
“What’s he doing?” Scott’s tone was sharp.
John was manipulating the hologram, his frown glaring at the figurines of Virgil and the whale. “Their trajectory leads to the intersection point of the other sixteen whales.” John pointed at the converging cetacean mass.
“Put him on comms. I want to talk to him.”
The expression on the commander’s face was one that would have had Sam hiding if it were directed at him.
Their grandmother was at her station pulling up her own holograms of graphs and diagrams that were mostly beyond Sam, but the holographic brain with flickering colour was obviously Virgil’s.
John flicked a control. “Open comms. Go ahead.”
“Virgil, what are you doing?!”
“What needs to be done.” The man’s voice was hoarse.
Scott visibly composed himself, holding back his reaction. “Explain it to me.”
“I…” But Virgil didn’t say anything further.
Sam bit his lip as both Scott and John looked at each other. The question of whether Virgil was in his right mind was obvious.
“You need to return to the boat.”
“I can’t, Scott.”
“Why?” Sam hadn’t realised it was possible for the commander to tense up further. Was Virgil being dragged off against his will?
What the hell was going on?
“Virgil-“
“You say everyone is worth saving.”
The commander swallowed, lips thin. “I do.”
“And so do I.”
“Who are you saving?” Exasperation.
The answer was a series of notes sung by their brother that meant absolutely nothing to anyone in the room, except perhaps the computer on Thunderbird Five.
Scott queried John with his eyes and the astronaut shook his head, shoulders dropping.
A glance at their grandmother and Dr Tracy frowned, obviously unhappy. She pointed to a graph and the commander’s eyes widened at the numbers.
Scott exhaled and visibly wilted. “Virg, please come back.” It was all brother, the commander gone. “We can do whatever is needed together. That is how we operate. As a team.”
A whisper. “I’m sorry, Scott.”
“Virgil, please.”
“I have to do this.”
“But you don’t have to do it alone. Let me. Let Gordon, help you.”
There was silence on comms for a moment.
Then a single mournful note was sung in Virgil’s familiar baritone, only to picked up by a cetacean voice, carried across the ocean and all the instrumentation in the room.
“He’s slowing.” John’s voice was hopeful.
The yacht throttled back, echoing the pace of their quarry but keeping a safe distance.
“Thank god.” It was muttered under Scott’s breath, the blue of his eyes flashing as he glared at the holographic display of his brother and the whale. He stabbed his comms. “Gordon, get down here. We’re going after him.”
-o-o-o-
Gordon dashed down from the bridge as soon as he finished securing the ship.
Scott’s face was stormy as he strode out to the back of the boat, helmet in hand. Gordon grabbed his own.
He straightened automatically as he approached his brother, back rigid at a subconscious attention. “Objective?” God, he both hoped and dreaded the commander was not going to drag their brother back unwilling.
The thought of dragging Virgil against his will anywhere just hurt.
But at the same time, Virgil obviously wasn’t functioning on an entirely Virgil level and he feared for him, whales or no.
Scott prodded his wrist control double-checking his connection with Five and the comm centre below decks. “He’s determined to whatever the hell it is he is trying to do. I meant what I said. He doesn’t have to do it alone. We’ll both be there.” He swallowed. “But I won’t risk him.” Scott’s eyes flared and Gordon took the command for what it was.
If Scott called it, they were hauling Virgil out, regardless.
The guilt at being a contributor to this situation ate at Gordon’s belly. If he hadn’t nudged his brother to explore this further…
Fifty metres off to the side, a whale back broke the surface and exhaled mist into the air.
This one continues to write itself. Though I appear to have little control. This bit is a little shorter than the previous two, but we’re getting there :D
Many, many thanks to @onereyofstarlight @gaviiadastra @janetm74 and @tsarinatorment for fielding my wibblies and lack of confidence on this part. You guys are amazing and I grovel extensively at your feet and offer chocolate tribute from Haighs the South Australian chocolatiers (very expensive chocolate that is divine).
I hope you enjoy this.
-o-o-o-
Sam was counting his blessings by the Tracy.
Gordon Tracy was blessing number one. He had known the dude for years and couldn’t help but admire his skill and drive. They worked well together and if Gords hadn’t been so tied up in the family business, he would have kidnapped him years ago.
Hell, he might have admitted his crush way back when, but then he washed out of WASP, met the two loves of his life and here he was.
About to talk to whales.
Well, not him personally, but through blessing number two, Virgil Tracy.
He hadn’t known Gordon’s brother very long. Of course, he had heard all the tales over the years. Gordon was ever so proud of his family and loved to share both their achievements and their hilarity whether his brothers approved of it or not.
Mel had had the hots for Virgil since the volcano blew its top a few years back. The Thunderbird Two pilot had airlifted her and their team off Raoul and flown them back to Auckland. But her gaze had since turned to the eldest Tracy, blessing number three.
Scott Tracy was the power behind this experiment. Sam had the distinct feeling that the man only had to say the word and it would all be shut down. Sure, Gordon would raise a ruckus, but Sam, the camp by the sea, laid back surfer he was, could still identify the one in charge of this team. The eldest, the Chairman of Tracy Industries and Commander of International Rescue, Scott had that look in his eye, a born leader, pretty much the opposite of Sam himself.
Liam kept Sam on the straight and narrow. If it wasn’t for Liam, Sam might have run off to live on a deserted island somewhere to commune with the whales he loved.
Actually, come to think of it…
“Virgil?”
Blessing number four was John Tracy. The man spoke a gazillion languages and Sam had learnt the hard way not to swear in any dialect other than English. The astronaut had burst out laughing when Sam, who thought he was being a little on the exotic side, said a couple of words in Spanish he had thought were at least basic profanity but actually came down to declaring Gordon was a ‘cucumber dog’.
“We usually call him ‘fishboy’, but ‘cucumber dog’ has a good ring to it.”
Gordon was still suffering for that one.
Sam had to admit it was hilarious.
“The whales are moving at quite a speed, guys. We’re down to two kilometres and counting.”
Sam glanced at John. The man was tense. Hell, everyone on this boat was tense and Sam wasn’t really sure why. Yes, this could be a momentous event, but it wasn’t like Virgil was risking his life or anything. You would think a family who did risk their lives on a daily basis would be a little more relaxed for something as gentle as a whale encounter.
Sam was dressed in his wetsuit, artificial foot set for swimming, but Gordon had asked him to stay aboard A Little Lightning. Sam could understand that. Virgil was sensitive about this and if the man needed a little privacy, no matter how fleeting, Sam could do what they asked.
Anything to see if they could make communication happen.
Sam had worked extensively with the Tracys to build the sensor array on this boat. The buoy hanging in the water column was the first of its kind. Hell, the Tracys were way ahead of the world in general. Gordon’s toys were to be envied. But this project? Went above and beyond. It was all of Sam’s dreams come true.
He had stashed himself in the boat’s comms deck, as Gordon had christened it, at a console that gave him full access to the whales’ movements and vocalisations.
Here John was the one who had been let loose and the room sported all the communications equipment a whale biologist…or a rescue operative…could ever want. The hologram hanging in the middle of the space was the clearest he had ever seen.
Three whales swam serenely through waters less than a couple of kilometres away. Off to the left was another hologram, this one showing the three brothers under the water.
Below that was Dr Tracy, managing an array of medical data on her three grandsons.
Sam respected the hell out of the woman. She was formidable.
A voice from above. “John, analysis of the eldest female whale’s vocalisations indicates she has noticed the boat and your brothers.” Eos, the computer program that ran Thunderbird Five was efficient. Sam wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Gordon was snarky but shady the one time Sam commented on its realistic conversational tone. Eos was definitely on the list of International Rescue secrets, don’t ask.
So he didn’t.
“Let me see the visual generated by the algorithm.” A flash of colour and a mass of swirling shapes, blobs and angles, appeared next to the swimming whales. This was the core of the research. This was what was new and what they needed more of. The program had been able to derive a sense to the whales voices, a visual representation that had been echoed by the little Virgil had been able to process and create himself.
Virgil was an artist and had the skills to recreate what he saw in his mind’s eye.
Unfortunately, they had yet to work out what any of it meant other than one tiny little reference that Virgil had been able to identify as the whales’ recognition of self.
Basically the word ‘whale’. Except it wasn’t a word, more a jumble of colour and shape, in three dimensions built with sound.
On the far side of the room, Virgil’s heart rate jumped, followed by Gordon’s.
“They’re coming.” Virgil’s voice was deep and caught in emotion.
“Eos, identify the reason for your conclusion.”
The visualisation of language narrowed to a small field in the upper centre as an animated circle pointed it out. “This vocalisation was used during the encounter last year as your boats approached the mother whale. Her speed has increased. ETA is now nine point three-seven-five minutes. She is aiming directly for your position. The calf and the male accompanying her are following at a similar speed.” A real time visual of their locations appeared on yet another projection, the whales closing on A Little Lightning and the three brothers in the water.
Sam straightened his spine. “Do you think she has recognised us?”
“It is a distinct possibility, Dr Coyle.” It refused to call him Sam, no matter how many times he requested.
When he asked Gordon why, the aquanaut just rolled his eyes. “You’ll get used to it.”
“Grandma?” This time it was Scott’s voice over comms. Despite the vague question, it was obvious he wanted something specific.
“Everything is fine, Thunderbird One.”
That earned her a grunt that was not commented on.
Sam bit his lip as all the pieces of the experiment slowly came together.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
So here is the rest of the chapter that migraine cut to shreds. this was supposed to be the end of Part 6 so consequently it is a little shorter than usual.
Many thanks to @onereyofstarlight @janetm74 and @gaviiadastra for all their amazing support of this fic :D
I hope you enjoy this bit.
-o-o-o-
Everything blinked out and it took a great deal of time to reconnect with himself.
Echoes of pain, confusion, terror, mortification and so, so much sorrow. Notes danced through the space of his existence. Pinks and yellows, blues and greens, all drowned out by blacks and sharp reds. Accusation, death, and that all-encompassing sorrow, backed by a depth that spanned all time.
History.
His brain wasn’t able to process it. Conversation with Lucy and Mama was simple compared to this. Its complexity was so far beyond him he couldn’t-
The thought stopped there.
Time passed uncounted.
Somewhere that song was still being sung, ever so distant and dulled. Fractured, fragmented and interrupted by another voice.
Until it stopped.
He floated. Quiet allowed him to rebuild the world around him, piece by aching piece.
He was Virgil Grissom Tracy.
He lived with his four brothers, his grandmother and Kayo.
Kayo.
He drifted a moment.
He was an International Rescue operative.
He saved people.
He helped.
He did good.
So why was he hurting so much and felt like he had committed the worst crime imaginable?
The thought fluttered away and the quiet returned again.
He was Virgil Grissom Tracy.
He loved his family.
He would do anything to help.
He flew a giant and amazing green plane.
He saved people.
This time the thought sat strong and it became true.
“How could you do that?!”
Virgil startled. The image of his little brother Gordon flashed into his mind as he struggled towards wakefulness.
“It was what he wanted!”
“But you still let him do it! Let me endanger him without telling me!”
“Boys! It was Virgil’s decision. He has the right to privacy as much as any of you.” The point was very sharp and Virgil had the sudden thought that perhaps he didn’t know everything about his little brother’s health status after all.
The thought set off another chain of coherency in Virgil’s aching head. It was both a blessing and a curse.
He groaned.
“Virgil?” Scott. Damn, his big brother was going to be so pissed off.
Fingers touched his temple and he couldn’t help but lean into them.
“That’s it, dear, open your eyes, honey.” Grandma, his wonderful grandma.
He became aware of the world moving up and down gently as if he was on a boat.
He was on a boat.
A Little Lightning.
And he had been talking to whales.
The thought slammed awareness into place along with the pounding headache.
“Ow.” He scrunched up his face and his eyebrows hurt. He raised a hand to his head and rubbed them. His fingers encountered wetsuit. He was lying down.
Opening his eyes, he discovered himself under the sun awning at the back of the boat, his family staring down at him.
Scott looked as worried as expected, but Gordon…Gordon appeared furious. Sam, beside him, also had a frown on his face, an expression Virgil couldn’t recall ever seeing on the man.
But the pain in Virgil’s head overruled thought and he scrunched his eyes closed again, both his hands covering his face to block out the light.
“Virgil?”
“Hurts.” Oh god, did it hurt. But… “What happened?” He spoke into his hands.
It was Sam who answered. “The bull began to sing.”
“It was too much. This experiment is over.” It was a firm commander voice.
“This experiment should never have happened.” Gordy. Angry Gordy.
Virgil grimaced. This was all his fault. “Gords…”
“No, you don’t get to protest, Virgil. You hid important information. You risked yourself and everyone else.” A shaky breath. “Goddamnit. You could have permanently injured yourself. How could you expect me to live with that?” His little brother’s voice broke on the last syllable.
Virgil exhaled through the pain. “Not your fault.”
“You’re in the water, you’re my responsibility. This was risk enough. Don’t you think I felt guilty taking this chance? Even without knowing…”
When his brother didn’t finish the sentence, Virgil was forced to open his eyes to locate why.
He found the aquanaut glaring at Scott, eyes aflame. “How could you do this? You, of all of us. How could you let him risk so much?”
No, no, this wasn’t fair. Virgil struggled to sit up and was surprised when the world did not slam him back down.
Didn’t stop his family from trying though. “Virgil, lie down!” Grandma’s voice was firm.
“No, this wasn’t Scott’s fault.” He pushed all the hands away. Actually, sitting up dulled the headache just a little as it took blood pressure off his limping brain. He reached out and grabbed Gordon’s hand. “It was my choice, Gordon. It was worth the risk. You know that.”
Hurt and burning eyes turned to him. “But you didn’t let me make the decision for myself, did you.”
“I didn’t want you to worry.” A shaky breath. “You were worried enough.”
“Oh, so the possibility that my brother was risking brain damage wasn’t important?”
“It’s not brain damage. I’m fine.”
“It’s changed you.”
“How?”
Gordon didn’t answer, his eyes darting away.
“Gords?”
Any answer he might have drawn out of his brother was interrupted by a sudden rush of water as a giant head rose above the ocean surface at the back of the boat. A massive eye peered over the edge of the deck and sought out one person.
“Oh my god.” Sam said it for all of them.
Virgil didn’t hesitate, he pushed himself off the stretcher. Scott and Gordon grabbed him immediately.
“Virgil-“
He pushed them off and staggered over to the railing. Mama whale was glistening in the sun, her rostrum trailing rivulets as she maintained her position in the water, staring at him.
Without thinking, Virgil reached out and placed his palm flat against the side of her head.
He sung a singular note that vibrated through his painful head as he modulated it first up then down.
