A freighter and space station crash, with thunderbird 3 already on a different rescue, on the other side of the world, it takes the international rescues dispatcher, and Anderson tech CEO to try and fix the situation
Warning: GAY
——————
John focused at the task at hand, trying not to let his hands shake, try not to think about what just happemd, he inhaled deeply
Glancing towards the twisted remains of freighter, where- Zayne was-
He shook his head, needed to focus-
The debris hit him and he was jolted sent into open space with a scream, unable to stop himself from spinning
"Thunderbird 3-" He gasped trying to stop but of course the debris damaged his propulsion
He gasped spinning away from the big blue marble
Guess this was the end of him, Thunderbird 3 was still miles out on the other side of the world dealing with another rescue, it was just him and Zayne working this rescue...
breathing in deep, preparing his mind for the death that would be coming, thinking of his brothers, his home, EOS-
"JOHN"
The impact hit him and the spin sharpened, hearing the propulsion jets in his ears and he opened his eyes
He inhaled a whimper, hands gripping the others arm
"Ze-"
There helmets clicked together and Zayne panted holding John close to him, holding his back other holding just under his ribs
"I'm Here...I'm all here"
"You...I..I'm dead.."
Zayne shook his head "still on the mortal plain Johnny..." a smile flickered over the other astronaut, before it flickered to more serious "You hurt?"
"My...propulsion damaged..."
He was pulled closer, Zayne using his own jets to get back to the where John was launched from, the extra distance was cut short with Zaynes grapple, wheeling them both in
John breathed out, clinging to Zaynes side, holding onto the falling apart station, Zaynes magnetic boots thundering against the hull before he twisted, tapping commands in his wrist control,
Bots flew around, working together to aid in the rescue of stabilisation shifting the mess of the freighter and station apart
"Thunderbird 3?"
"Here- you two alright?"
He glanced at Zayne
"Well live"
———
John sat in his room, glancing at the bruise forming up his arm, his gaze flickered towards Zayne, stood in his bathroom, the light from there pooling into Johns room, being the only light on to flood the bedroom in a warm golden light.
Both got out the rescue scaved,
John dealing with a mild sprained wrist from where his grip was jolted off of the station he clung to, ans zayne...well...he was lucky he was still able to walk, bruises impact, lacerations (he thanked Zayne suit for seld sealing when it detected breeches)
He slowly moved wincing slightly padding into the on suite
Eyes watching Zayne stitch a cut on his hip, hearing hum wince with each time he pricked into the skin with the needle
He swallowed the thought of earlier on the rescue, the thought of loosing him
Iodine met his nose and he huffed slowly walking closer, finger tips tracing up an older scar on Zaynes back, older close calls and near misses
He too has scars, byt never something on such a scale compared to zaynes tapestry of life
Muscles flex at his touch, getting a low hum in response to his touch
"Hey-"
A plaster covering Zaynes hip as he turned towards the other astronaut, worried gaze
John leant in head tucking into Zaynes shoulder, keeping in mind the damage of the day
Feeling hands cradle him close and a soft sigh
John just held on, feeling the slight tingle at his eyes as tears tried to flow out
A hand cradled his face and he met Zaynes eyes, brows furrowed with worry
"Hey..."
John breathed out wiping his eyes
"I...I'm..."
Zayne let John speak, as the dispatcher struggled to get his words out
"I-i could have lost you today..." John stated, his bottom lip quivered
"I know..."
John let a breath out tears falling down his cheek letting Zayne wipe them away
"Ze.."
He felt Zayne rest his forhead against John's
The space moniter raises his hand cupping Zaynes face
"I thought you were dead..." He whispered
"I'm sorry John"
John closed his eyes letting himself lean in closer, hugging tight
They stood together like this, Zayne holding him and John holding Zayne, just letting the emotion high run its course
After a while, John steadily pulled Zayne to bed, letting the other settle down wincing, he steadily layed beside him, his hand tracing over the center of Zaynes chest, fingers just grazing the space crystal on its chain, around Zaynes neck, which glowed in the low light of Johns, now dark bedroom, feeling the steady beating of his heart, against his palm, a hand softly running through his hair a soft delicate kiss to his temple
John exhaled, closing his eyes, keeping his hand against Zaynes chest
The journey to the astroid K/46 is a long one, even with Thunderbird 3 ions engine, just allows a little talk and memorys to be spilled out
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
——————
They were 12 hours into the flight, Jeff had crossed his arms and fell asleep leaving the two other astronaut to their own devises
Alan watched as Zayne floated to the back of Thunderbird 3, checking her systems, the blond pushed up the shoulder guards, before floating to the back
"Hey...Ze?" Keeping his voice low, to avoid waking up his dad, knowing very well how light he slept
"What's up?" Zayne matched his tone, but didn't turn to look at the younger astronaut
"I...I just want to make sure your alright...i mean come on...your dad...alive?"
The man in purple paused slightly, hand hesitant over the handle that kept him from floating away
"I..." Alan paused watching Zayne inhale deep, right bad question
He rubbed the back of his head "sorry..."
"It's alright Alan...I get everyone's concern for me..."
Alan nodded slightly, letting Zayne continue
"A lot...I...I grieved and buried that under work and studying...an entire company...getting news that they could be all alive..."
Alan gave a half smile "I understand..." He glanced towards his own dad and sighed "when we found Braman repeated dad's SOS..." He smiled, which turned sour "and...the entire Gordan incident after"
Zayne finally looked at the Tracy a hand patted Alan before he wad pulled into a hug, which Alan greatly returned, hiding his head in Zaynes shoulder clinging on feeling a tremble and a shakey breath
"We'll get your dad back Zayne...I promise it" Alan whispered
"Thank you Alan..."
They pulled away and Zayne was trying to hide the tears that were floating in the zero gravity, Alan giggled
"Damn...gravity..."
A steady beep and John's hologram appeared, stiring the sleeping Jeff
"Everyone alright?"
Alan let Zayne give him a helpful nudge towards the front of Thunderbird 3
"Were all good, how's home?" Alan half smiled, hearing Zayne sniffle floating behind him
"Gordans returned, he says hey and also asked for space bread to add to the list with space milk"
A chuckle came from Jeff
"Anything else?" Zayne leant in
"Apart from a sudden spike in Derek's industry's suddenly a buzz...both myself and EOS don't know of what..."
Zayne nodded
"Keep a distance John...incase this buzz is an early warning of hornets coming out of that nest"
John nodded "my thoughts exactly, it's about lunchtime you lot, make sure you eat" a look towards Zayne direction befire the coms went quiet
Jeff grumbled stretching floating out his chair
"Alan, you settle for a bit kid, well go get the packs" He helped Zayne to orientate a little as they floated back towards the other side of the room, opening the bulk heading towards thier food for the travel
———
"What do you remember of the hope crew Zayne?" Jeff raised an eyebrow Zaynes way who slowly rotated, legs tucked loosely to his chest, mid swallowed of the of his rehydrate lasagne pouch, brow furrowed focusing
"Well my dad for start" He hummed "then there's Dimitri mission specialist, looks scary but big sweet heart....Eliana and Theo...Doctor in engineering and medical, work together perfectly...then we have Viggo he was the bases sanitation, I remember him singing when ever he worked..." Zayne faced slowly towards the two Tracys "then we have Rebecca she was the tower control specialist, always had stickers and Micheal was electronics always with sweets on him"
Jeff chuckled
"I remember first meeting Dimitri...scared the crap out of me" He took a mouthful of food "what you remember the most of your old man?"
"His planes" Zayne responded instantly "he was restoring a spitfire for display"
Alan coughed in suprise "He was?"
Zayne nodded
"Anderson tech always try and give a nod to aviation and space history" He shrugged "We contine that on even now"
"Wow..."
Jeff smiled "I remember you father picking up Martian rock, for wife tax..." He shook his head
"Yeah...that's also a thing"
Alan cackled "wife tax?"
Zayne chuckled "okay, my ma she's a geologist of astral body's which means-"
"WAIT HOW COME I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THIS-"
Zayne snorted at Alan's yell
"He would always pick up rocks whenever he traveled, around Earth or to space, it was there weird bonding thing"
"Postcards" Jeff chimed "I would collect postcards and see if I can arrive faster home compared to the postage"
Zayne did laugh at Alan's look of surpise at his father who floated unaffected by the stare
"Usually I would win..." Jeff said gleefully
———
John smiled listening to the laughter, on the live communications with Thunderbird 3, he remembered the post card arriving about a few hours after Jeff would return home and his giggle of glee beating the postal service, yet again
He focused on the scanners eyes on the main facility for Green industries, just watching for now
He kept his word about not poking his nose where it should be, the building was practically a buzz under his finger as he scanned location, which raised more speculations
Did Derek know about the beacon?
The freighter was it an actual accident or purpose to destroy the evidence?
He rubbed his eyes with a sigh, he also needed to eat, he floated out of the main him, letting the gravity ring pull him to its surface, his feet tapping across the surface to get something in his system
"Thunderbird 5" He turned towards the hologram of Colonel Casey and half smiled "Colonel-"
"I'm looking for Anderson. You have an idea where he maybe?"
Crap-
"Uh...well about that-"
———
"GDF knows about the situation" Johns voice cut through just as they were finishing up eating
"What?"
"I couldn't come up with a lie and col-" John rushed
"Johnny, hey breath" Zayne floated towards the hologram
"she would have found out one way or the other" Jeff sat down
"I've kept what we have brief, but what she does know is the beacon and your heading to the astroid there being held"
"Will they head to Green industries?"
John shook his head "not with out actual evidence and a warrant for an arrest"
Zayne nodded "if this rescue is successful, she wouldn't need to worry about either."
He sat down, glancing towards Alan
"Where's are ETA, Captain?"
Alan eyes flickered over his hologram
"82 hours"
Zayne nodding "John-"
"Keep an eye on Derek make sure he doesn't pull anything when you get there"
Zayne is ill, locked himself up in his own lab to avoid getting anyone else sick with his cold, john drops on in as a hologram to make sure his partner is still alive
——————
The lab was quiet, apart from the quiet sniffling of the engineer who sat curled up in his chair, a blanket draped over his shoulders
Zayne was a many of many things, astronaut, engineer, pilot, ran a business, empathetic
Byt he was also sick
His work was taken over by other employees of Anderson tech, in fear of the wraith of his mother he stayed on earth, nursing a lemon and honey to try and sooth his sore throat and a box of tissues for his nose that kept running
Even Greg the bases cat is avoiding his presents much to the astronauts sadness
The hologram flickered on and he rumbled seeing international rescues dispatcher
"Now why would you be calling me, John?"
A chuckle broke through
"Making sure you aren't dying from the plague"
"I'm fine John" He blew his nose in the tissue tossing it into the trash beside him
"Ah huh?"
He brought the mug up to his lips eyeing the dispatchers critical eye
"I'm really fine, tis but a cold"
He watched John sigh, seeming to relax a little, he chuckled which became a cough, sitting up a little holding a hand over his mouth amd grumbling
"You sound like hell"
"Yeahh..."
He leant back, leaning the mug against his chest feeling the warm ceramic, in his hands, he leant his head back exhaling
"You should sleep"
"Yeah, yeah..."
"Mean it Zayne, your sick And your body needs the energy-"
"You sound as worse as my mother"
It was John's time to laugh
"I am worse, you want to know why?"
"Mm?"
"I'm your damn partner. That's why"
Zayne smiled, finishing the rest of the elixir that's been saving his voice picking up the hologram projector walking towards the makeshift bed settling down in it down beside the bedside table culring up
"Talk to me John, need something that isn't the reader talking to me"
John's form floated as he smiled, shifting his hands, likely also working on something, before watching John glance over his form, he likely guessed he looks worse then he think he does laying curled up in bed
"Alright Zayne...just to help you sleep"
Zayne smiled listening to what he's been missing for the mast few days of being ill and not helping international rescue.
———
John kept talking, he glanced over towards the hologram, seeing Zayne had fallen asleep
"Eos-"
"He's stable John, his tempreture is higher and white bloodcell count is also quite high"
John nodded
That's a good thing atleast, his body is fighting what ever is in his system, he misses seeing Zayne up here, having him to hug and hold and snuggle up to
He exhaled, feeling the slight itch at the back of his throat which made him stop
Green industry's, ran by that of Derek Green, always dispised that of Anderson tech, in fact, anything to do with Anderson. It's just funny when space freighters blow up and crash unexpectedly in the ocean. Zayne gets dibs on what can be picked up
Warnings: swearing, mild sex joke (literally only one) terrible terrible puns
——————
Zayne snorted half hearing Brains joke on electrons, it was quite positive, to say the least, as the two engineers nattered together in the Tracy island hanger for the Thunderbirds
Zayne fixing one of URSAs thrusters from a mild damage on a rescue with Thunderbird 2 to aid in a collapsing satellite that helpee with GDF operations
Which lead them to limping URSA back to Tracy island to be patched up
Zayne, sat on top of URSA, on the forward fuselage, with Brian's below him, Virgil getting out of his gear to get snacks and drinks for the engineers
Zayne pushed up the welder mask glancing down at the other engineer below him
"You know, I gotta say thanks for this"
"Pfft, p-please" Brains smiled "You've saved us more then o-once Zayne, i-its only fair to re-repay the favor here and there"
Zayne smiled lowering the welder for Brains to take
"Besides its g-good to have a third e-engineer around, o-one actually with a degree i-in rocket science"
Zayne laughed "don't let Virgil hear you Brians" He grinned
"Hear what?"
He glanced down seeing the flannel wearing Tracy holding a tray of what looks like lemonade, he chuckled watching as Brains try and create a convincing lie to diverge Virgils raised eyebrow
"Don't worry about it too much" Zayne waved his hand, before sliding down the nose of his ship landing with a thud walking over towards the work bench they set up to hold some of Zayne gear and diagnostic gear
His space suit, half undone, the arms tied securely around his waist, his under tunic on show as he leant on the table just as Virgil placed the tray of lemonade
"How is she?" Virgil moved his head to indicate towards URSA, as Zayne picked up one of the glasses, taking a sip
"Well...damage was minor, easily fix, specially with what yall have here"
"W-we still need to run engine diagnostics" Brains reminded Zayne, he nodded in response
"That we will do"
Virgil leant on the table "gonna take long?"
Zayne smirked "plan to get rid of me that quickly Tracy?"
"Oh lord no, just trying to..." He glanced around quickly, before leaninh in closer to the younger man, dripping his voice "get you out before your invited to stay for Grandma's Tracys cooking"
Zayne snorted "Ah...I've heard the horrors from Alan and Joh-"
"International rescue" speaking of the devil as the space dispatchers voice rang through the hanger
Johns hologram appeares up on the work table, all three looked at him
"What's up John?" Virgil raised an eyebrow turning towards his little brother
"More what's coming down, I suddenly got an alert of a Green industry's deep space mining freighter blowing up during reentry, some debris landed in the Pacific, it's easy clean up...but" the dispatcher hesitated a second "I'm getting pings from a beacon"
Zayne raised an eyebrow and huffed placing down his glass
"I'll check it out John, seeing its not a big issue and you know space debris expert" He grinned as Brains chuckled and virgil tried to hide his eye roll with drinking the lemonade
Zayne shrugged on his space suit fastening it
"Oh and tell Derek he can get the thing when I'm done and if he proceeds to be a ass-"
"Tell him your the space chairman, and you can do what you want with what falls out the sky?"
Zayne clicked his fingers at Johns grinning hologram
"Exactly"
Virgil chuckled shakiy his head at Johns and Zaynes interaction
"We'll wait for you Mr sass" virgil sat down on the work bench seat beside Brains
"G-go easy on the t-throttle Zayne"
"Will be Brains! I'm always carful!" He called back as he walked through the loading bay, as URSA turned on the landing pad
He half heard Brains and virgil talk, something along the lines
"What was that about the rocket scientists degree?"
And brians nearly choking on his drink
URSA heading outwards to the open sky's, the sun glistening off her paint work
He shifted his suit on and gloves, helmet clicking onto his under suit, he flickered switch as the engine ignited, purring in response
The display showing the engine diagnostic and the location he was heading thanks to John information
He tapped the photo on the dash, of his father before his death, before focusing on the job
URSA cleared the hanger bay before he pushing the throttle up
URSA engines roared
Steadily lifting
Zayne let her gain enough height
Before shifting the engine to flight, the two jets tilted horizontal, pushing her forward
Zayne grinned, keeping an eye on URSAs monitors incase she suddenly started beeping warnings at her, but she held together likely with spite
"Atta girl"
"Hot mic" hearing John's smile in his tone, and he couldn't help his own smile coming across his lips
"Yeah yeah, ETA 25 minutes" He pushed the throttle, feeling URSA speed increase, he couldn't help but let a grin pull against his lips
She was no Thunderbird, but she was all his
———
He arrived in the crash zone, eyes on the scanner which picked up multiple floating debris on the oceans surface, with some even below the waves as be circled the area, but the beacon sang out loud and clear on the scanners
He switched URSA to hover over the debris field
"Going fishing John, gonna hook me a beacon"
"FAB" John chuckled "hook us a big one"
"Aye aye captain Tracy!" He teased
He made his way into the loading bay, the door opening
The waves bobbed the beacon like a fish caught on the line, just waiting to be reeled in
Zayne hooked the grapple into the back of his belt before leaning out of the cockpit of the hovering URSA before lowering himself down with a grunt
He managed to grab the top of the beacons edge, Halling it out with effort with how heavy it was, it chirped at him almost mocking him in some digital beacon way
"Got myself a beacon!" He grinned before he pressed the winch and he was reeled upwards again, dropping his new chirpy friend to the loading bay floor with a thud, it rolled a little, before Zayne got it tied down, to not provide a hazard when he's flying again
"Zayne your getting company, clean ups here"
He grunted closing the bay doors sliding into the pilot seat
"FAB, clearing out" He shifted the control and was flying away watching as boats pass him below
"Heading back to Tracy island, see what she got in her"
"FAB, meet you there URSA"
Zayne half smiled at John's tone
Zayne held up the beacon above his head with a grin "look at how big she is!"
"A-an amazing catch!" Brains clapped his hands as Zayne waddled out with the ball placing it on the table
Virgil picked up the lemonade as the table jolted with the weight of the beacon
Before the astronaut took off his helmet and gloved grabbing his left drink from virgils hands
"H-hypothisis?" Brains tapped the casing
"it's his 4th wife's hate nudes"
Brains snorted, Virgil laughed shaking his head as Zayne suggestion
"You really hate the man?"
"He hates my guts verge" Zayne shrugged "besides this came from space, can hide a lot of things in space"
"Yeahh..." Virgil hald smiled as Brains worked on cracking the casing open to get to the beacons insides
He took a few sips of the lemonade half smiling, hearing the soft taps of boots behind him, before an arm slung over his shoulder
"You've got me curious now" John pecked Zaynes cheek with a soft kiss "how was fishing?"
He pointed to the beacon "should have seen it, put up a fight"
John chuckled shaking his head
"Bettings?"
"We have Derek's 4th wife nudes." Virgil smirked around his mug "gonna say its gonna be nothing but space noises thats gonna deafen us"
"Ohh, weres your adventure Verge" Zayne teased, before it softened "You John?"
John pulled a face thinking "maybe just the generic beacon gibberish"
"Or a bomb-"
Everyone stopped and looked at EOSs icon on the hologram
"Thank you EOS" John sighed "still as murderous as ever"
"Ah ha!' Brains cried triumphant and the case cracked and Brains lifted the top, at the pretty basic –not a bomb– distress beacon
"Not a bomb EOS" Zayne chuckled hearing the disappointed sigh from the ai, and Brains plugged it into the computer
It booted up steadily before it started to beep in sequence
•••/–––/•••
••••/–––/•––•/•
–•–•/•–•/•/•––
Zayne felt his mouth go dry suddenly, as the sequence repeated
He heard a shatter
All eyes on him suddenly
Everything sounded distant
Too far away
His throat tightened
Tears bubbled up as a sobbed wrecked through his chest
He just feld Johns grip his shoulder steering away from the hangers, away from the shattered glass on the floor and the damn beacon
That's-
Hope-
He knew it
It was the original name for Anderson Station, very few people knew of the stations maiden name
