Jeff Tracy: OK, OK, I'll go to Australia. I'll take a vacation, if that's what you all want!"
Scott Tracy: "That's great, Dad. Forget International Rescue for a while."
Tin-Tin: "I'll help my father to pack your bags, Mr Tracy."
Scott Tracy: "The first problem is, who's gonna take your place, Dad?"
Virgil Tracy: "That's gotta be you, Scott. You're the eldest."
Scott Tracy: "That's swell of you guys, to put me in the hot seat, but my job is flying Thunderbird 1."
Jeff Tracy: "Now, hold on, boys. I'm still giving the orders around here. I've not gone yet, you know! Scott, you're next in line so you'll have my place. Virgil will remain in charge of Thunderbird 2, and Gordon Thunderbird 4."
Virgil Tracy: "That only leaves you, Alan. But John has only just begun his tour of duty in the space station."
Alan Tracy: "You mean, I've got to handle Thunderbird 1?"
Jeff Tracy: "It's the obvious choice. Only rarely do we have to use Thunderbirds 1 and 3 on the same operation. You will control whichever craft is required."
Scott Tracy: "Yeah, that figures, Alan. You're used to high speeds. Guess you take over my old job."
Jeff Tracy: "Well, that's settled then. I'll just check things with John."
John Tracy: "International Rescue from Thunderbird 5. What's new, father?"
Jeff Tracy: "Penny has persuaded me to join her in Australia for a short vacation."
John Tracy: "Gee, that's great, Dad. I figure it's about time you had a rest."
Jeff Tracy: "Yeah, hmm... Well, before I hand over to Scott, I want to know if everything is OK."
John Tracy: "Nothing much happening to concern us, father. Just the World Navy are on an exercise in the Atlantic."
Commander: "Prepare to commence gyropedo explosive tests."
Atlantic Captain: "Aye-aye, sir. Target vessel moving to Area Red."
Commander: "Good. If these new weapons are successful, they'll revolutionize undersea firepower."
Atlantic Captain: "Yes, sir. No more negative cat and mouse games. Our vessels will be able to attack fast and with power."
Commander: "Right, put atom sub Reaper on standby."
Atlantic Captain: "She's adopting combat position now, sir, 100 miles from target vessel."
Reaper Lieutenant: "On course and steady, sir."
Reaper Captain: "OK, Lieutenant, dive!"
Reaper Lieutenant: "Opening two four and six, sir."
Commander: "Alert all vessels in vicinity, and warn the drilling rig Seascape."
Atlantic Captain: "Seascape drilling rig, from World Navy flagship Atlantic. Please acknowledge."
Dick O'Shea: "Seascape here, Atlantic. Receiving you five by five."
Atlantic Captain: "We are about to commence target practice. There could be a number of nuclear explosions."
Frank Hooper: "Are there now? Here, Dick, I'll take over. Hello, Atlantic. This is Frank Hooper, rig superintendent here. I don't like the sound of what you just said."
Atlantic Captain: "All the explosions will be beneath the surface. Out of the 40 rigs in the area, yours is the nearest. There's absolutely no chance of any danger."
Frank Hooper: "I hope you're right! Ending transmission. Darned navy. Always bellyaching about the number of new rigs going up, but no-one's allowed to complain about their explosions."
Reaper Lieutenant: "Gyropedoes one and two at ready, sir."
Reaper Captain: "Right. Approaching radio-control target vessel, bearing seven, five, eight."
Reaper Captain: "Contact. Away both. Seek and destroy."
Reaper Lieutenant: "Number one is moving off course, sir."
Commander: "Second strike, negative. Kill it, Captain."
Reaper Captain: "You heard the Commander, Lieutenant. Destroy by remote."
Reaper Lieutenant: "I can't, sir. There's no response. She's a maverick!"
Scott Tracy: "Thunderbird 5, from International Rescue base. Come in, John."
John Tracy: "Base from Thunderbird 5. What's up, Scott?"
Scott Tracy: "Nothing, John. Just wondered how things were with you."
John Tracy: "Oh, it's all quiet here."
Scott Tracy: "How about that atomic explosion in the Atlantic?"
John Tracy: "No problems there. The sea's calmed down. Guess the guys on that rig are glad about that."
Frank Hooper: "Well, Cravitz, the swell's settled. Imagine those navy guys letting a fool thing like that happen! It's bad enough being stuck out here in the middle of the Atlantic, without the navy trying to send us under."
Cravitz: "Say, the weather computers are reacting. I reckon there'll be a looloo of a gale blowing, come sun-up."
Narrator (Gordon Tracy): "Aboard Seascape, Hooper and Cravitz began their all night visual. Whilst back at base, after dad had left to begin his vacation, Scott was thoughtfully contemplating his first day in command of operations. All was peaceful on the island, but not far from the drilling rig, at the side of the gyropedo explosion, changes were taking place on the ocean bed. A deep fisher was forming. Then suddenly...."
Frank Hooper: "What in thunder is that?"
Cravitz: "It's about the same position as that atom explosion."
Frank Hooper: "Sound the alarms!"
Frank Hooper: "Attention all stations!"
Scott Tracy: "Go ahead, John, what's happening?"
John Tracy: "Looks as though that atomic explosion caused more damage than was first thought."
Scott Tracy: "How's that?"
John Tracy: "Superintendent Hooper on the Seascape has sent out an alarm call. There's a 200 foot jet of fire blazing up 30 miles from the rig."
Scott Tracy: "Are the guys on the Seascape in danger?"
John Tracy: "It's not certain yet, Scott."
Scott Tracy: "Well, you'd better get in contact."
John Tracy: "OK. Drilling rig Seascape from International Rescue. Do you read me? Come in, Seascape."
Frank Hooper: "International Rescue? You heard about this fire-jet, huh?"
John Tracy: "Yes, what are the dangers?
Frank Hooper: "The way I figure it, that atomic explosion fractured the sea-bed. The heat somehow has taken a few hours to penetrate through to the gas field below the ocean floor."
John Tracy: "What is the extent of the field?"
Frank Hooper: "This particular gas pocket stretches 40 miles west of Seascape's position."
Scott Tracy: "How real and urgent is the danger?"
Brains: "It's hard to estimate, Scott. There could be an explosion causing a massive tidal wave spreading to both coasts of the Atlantic."
Scott Tracy: "Yeah... that's a pretty terrifying thought. The question is, do we get involved or not?"
Brains: "That's entirely up to you, Scott. You're in command."
Scott Tracy: "Yeah... I wonder what Dad would do?"
TV Reporter: "We interrupt this broadcast for a newsflash. Reports are coming in that a gas field in the Atlantic has been penetrated, and a fire-jet over 200 feet high is threatening shipping and drilling rigs in the area. The cause of the fire jet has not been firmly established, but it is believed to be connected with an atomic explosion during World Navy manouvres. And now, back to your music programme."
Parker: "Shall I wake Mr Tracy?"
Lady Penelope: "You dare, Parker! Mr Tracy has come here to get away from those kind of problems."
Jeff Tracy: "It's OK, Parker, I heard the newscast."
Lady Penelope: "Jeff! I thought you were asleep."
Jeff Tracy: "No, Penny, but you can relax. I'm not worried about that fire-jet. No-one has been hurt, and Scott will keep a check on the situation. He'll realize that this is NOT a job for International Rescue."
Scott Tracy: "Brains, call the boys. This is a job for International Rescue. Thunderbirds are go!"
Narrator: "The column of fire presented quite a problem. But fortunately, one that we were very well equipped for. You see, Brains had anticipated such an emergency and he had constructed an underwater sealing device that could be maneuvered over the gas outlet with the aid of Thunderbird 4. And firmly anchored by means of firing high tensile harpoons into the seabed. Then it was only a simple matter the seal off the valve, and the flame was capped. Within a short space of time, this whole operation was over. And we were all back at base congratulating ourselves."
Scott Tracy: "Well, folks, we did it!"
Virgil Tracy: "Yeah, Scott, you were great. No panic... You didn't put a foot wrong."
Alan Tracy: "Virgil's right. Guess Dad had better watch out. You could do him out of a job."
Jeff Tracy: "Scott, this is your father."
Scott Tracy: "Oh, hi, Dad. How are you."
Jeff Tracy: "I've just heard the newscast. International Rescue capped that fire jet in the Atlantic."
Scott Tracy: "Sure we did, Dad. And we were successful."
Jeff Tracy: "That's got nothing to do with it. You should never have got involved."
Scott Tracy: "Listen, father...."
Jeff Tracy: "No, you listen, son. International Rescue is not just a lot of machinery for putting out fires. It's a serious business."
Scott Tracy: "But that fire could have caused a disaster."
Jeff Tracy: "We're not dealing with chances, Scott. We can't afford to make mistakes."
Scott Tracy: "Well how about that."
Virgil Tracy: "Yeah, tough, Scott. I guess to Dad, you made the wrong decision, but for my money, I figure you were right."
Frank Hooper: "Another fire column. Get International Rescue, fast, O'Shea!"
Dick O'Shea: "Oh. We didn't get their frequency."
Frank Hooper: "Just make the call, on any wavelength. They'll pick it up."
Scott Tracy: "Go ahead, John."
John Tracy: "That gas field has blown again."
Scott Tracy: "You mean the sealing device didn't work?"
John Tracy: "It worked fine, Scott, this is another fire jet five miles east of the last one."
Scott Tracy: "What gives, Brains?"
Brains: "Well, the first explosion must have moved some unstable rock, producing pockets of oxymetrigen in it's cavities. And these must have been ignited by the fire under the seabed."
Alan Tracy: "Then why hasn't the whole gas field gone up, like you said earlier?"
Brains: "It's hard to be conclusive, Alan, but I would say the flame is travelling until it finds the next weakest point. That point could well be Seascape!"
Virgil Tracy: "Then what are we waiting for?"
Scott Tracy: "Now, hold on, Virgil. As I see it, this is not a job for International Rescue."
Gordon Tracy: "Boy, have you changed in the last couple of hours!"
Scott Tracy: "Well, sure I've changed. Two hours ago, Dad hadn't given me a bawling out. Well I'm not gonna do it again. No sir, it's my decision, and I figure that normal methods of rescue are adequate."
Dick O'Shea: "Call from the "Atlantic", Frank. International Rescue is not coming. The navy is going to airlift us off the rig."
Frank Hooper: "What about the gas?"
Dick O'Shea: "Guess it's just left to burn."
Frank Hooper: "The rig! One of the support columns has slipped its shackles."
Frank Hooper: "All set Dick? You know what we have to do."
Dick O'Shea: "Yeah, check the extent of the damage."
Frank Hooper: "That's it. And we'd better look at the other supports. Looks like a couple of others are slipping too."
John Tracy: "Base from Thunderbird 5. The Seascape's in trouble, Scott. A support column slipped. The fire's moving much faster than we thought. It's found an outlet close to the rig."
Scott Tracy: "What are they doing about it?"
John Tracy: "Hooper and O'Shea are going down in a diving sphere."
Frank Hooper: "It looks serious, Dick. I can see at least six shackle bolts sheared at the base."
Dick O'Shea: "Yeah. Maybe we could fix it. Get our scuba diving gear and renew the bolts."
Frank Hooper: "Are you OK, Dick?"
Dick O'Shea: "I-I guess so.... What happened?"
Frank Hooper: "The rig slipped again, and the sphere winch systems were severed. We're trapped down here. Our only hope is that Control center have registered our position."
John Tracy: "Base from Thunderbird 5. We've got a real emergency on our hands now Scott. Those two guys have become trapped in a diving sphere at the bottom of the rig."
Brains: "The drilling rig is obviously the next weakest point. The fire will certainly use the borehole as an outlet."
Scott Tracy: "OK Boys, this is really it! International Rescue is the only hope for those guys. Alan, get Thunderbird 1 out to Seascape."
Alan Tracy: "Yes, sir."
Scott Tracy: "Thunderbirds 2 and 4 will be needed to get Hooper and O'Shea to the surface before the rig blows. Get going, boys, and fast."
Scott Tracy: "Will you get me some more coffee, Tin-Tin. Yes, Virgil, are you at the danger zone yet?"
Virgil Tracy: "Yes, Scott. I'm about to drop the pod."
Scott Tracy: "Tell Gordon he's gotta work fast. The fire may hit that borehole any time."
Dick O'Shea: "Look, Hooper, let's face it, they're never going to get us out. Not with all that metal on top of us."
Frank Hooper: "Take it easy, boy. Take it easy."
Virgil Tracy: "How's it look down there, Gordon?"
Gordon Tracy: "Pretty bad, Virgil. But I'm going in closer."
Virgil Tracy: "OK, Gordon. Navy helijets are getting the rig crew off."
Gordon Tracy: "Mobile Control from Thunderbird 4. The pressure and the damage has jammed the sphere hatch."
Alan Tracy: "What's the action then, Gordon?"
Gordon Tracy: "Well I'll have to cut through the guide cables holding the sphere to the support column."
Alan Tracy: "OK, I'll tell base."
Alan Tracy: "Hey, I felt movement then. The rig's slipping some more."
Scott Tracy: "Alan, can you hear me? Mobile Control, come in!"
Alan Tracy: "OK, Scott, we're all right, but I'm worried about Thunderbird 1."
Scott Tracy: "Yeah, she could slip off that platform."
Scott Tracy: "How many more crew to airlift off that rig?"
Alan Tracy: "Six, Scott."
Scott Tracy: "Right, well, the navy will fix them. You get your gear into Thunderbird 1 and you operate from the air."
Alan Tracy: "F.A.B."
Virgil Tracy: "Alan, Thunderbird 1 is sliding. Get her up! Fast!"
Alan Tracy: "Base from Thunderbird 1. Clear of rig. Will remain on hover in danger zone."
Scott Tracy: "F.A.B."
Gordon Tracy: "Thunderbird 1 from Thunderbird 4. Cables are free. I'm going in to shift the rest of the debris."
Alan Tracy: "F.A.B."
Narrator: "I moved in to begin shifting the debris from the sphere by means of the rams in the nose of Thunderbird 4. But as fast as I worked, so more wreckage continued to fall off."
Gordon Tracy: "Thunderbird 1 from Thunderbird 4. What's happened to the rig? This wreckage will smash the craft to pieces!"
Alan Tracy: "The Seascape's breaking up, Gordon. How long will you be?"
Gordon Tracy: "I'll let you know when I've cleared the mess away."
Gordon Tracy: "I've cleared most of the junk. I'm gonna try to haul the sphere free with the electromagnets."
Alan Tracy: "F.A.B."
Narrator: "At the flick of a switch, I replaced the rams with two powerful magnets. Then I moved back in to attempt a lift."
Frank Hooper: "What are they playing at? They'll bust this baby wide open."
Dick O'Shea: "They're... they're not gonna make it in time. They're too late."
Virgil Tracy: "Alan, turbulence near the rig!"
Alan Tracy: "Thunderbird 1 to helijet. Get that last man off the rig, fast! Virgil, get clear."
Virgil Tracy: "What about Gordon?"
Alan Tracy: "Thunderbird 4, the rig's gonna blow! Move fast!"
Narrator: "But with the sphere attached, it was impossible to move fast. The weight on the nose of Thunderbird 4 made steering extremely difficult. It seemed an age before we began moving away from the wreckage. I didn't think we'd make it. Above us, the stricken rig was rocked by explosions. She was aflame from end to end. Slowly, as one by one the support columns buckled or were destroyed by a blast, she began to settle lower in the water. Until finally, she slid slowly from site beneath the turbulent waves."
Virgil Tracy: "Gordon, are you OK?"
Gordon Tracy: "Just about, Virgil. The sphere is safely in tow. Will you make ready with the grabs?"
Virgil Tracy: "Sure thing, Gordon. You bring the sphere to the surface, and then I'll take it back to the carrier."
Gordon Tracy: "FAB, Virgil. Surfacing now."
Frank Hooper: "They did it! International Rescue saved us."
Dick O'Shea: "Yeah... I figured we were dead for sure!"
Narrator: "And so another successful mission was completed. After Virgil had landed the sphere on the flagship Atlantic, he returned for me. And we made our way back to base. I guess the strain of listening to the radio bulletins about our progress was too much for Dad. Because he arrived home shortly after we did. But this time, full of praise for the way Scott had handled the situation. So long for now."
THE END