[The opening scene shows a fire raging at a mining facility at night. Several explosions go off while the fire brigade fights the fire. It then cuts to Thunderbirds 1 and 2 standing in a field nearby. Thunderbird 2 is raised up and the pod flap is open. The camera pans over to a house next to the field. Scene cuts to a man behind one of the windows of the house. He closes the blinds. Next, the scene cuts to inside to reveal he's in a boy's bedroom.]
Mr. Morrison: "All right now, son. Just you get settled down for the night."
Chip Morrison: "Gosh, Dad, how can I settle down in all this excitement?"
Mr. Morrison: "You'll just have to try. I've got to go over there and help with the fire. And I want to be sure you're safely tucked up in bed before I go."
Chip Morrison: "What's International Rescue doing, Dad?"
Mr. Morrison: "They're gonna go down the shaft, and bring up the men below. Now, that's enough questions!"
[He turns and walks to the door.]
Mr. Morrison: "You be a good boy and get off to sleep. It's not as if you had a mother to look after you, so don't let me down. Good night, Chip."
[Mr. Morrison leaves. Chip climbs out of bed and opens the blinds. He can see Thunderbird 2. The camera zooms in on the open pod flap, and the title card appears:
HAZARD
Next, the scene cuts to Scott piloting Thunderbird 1. Jeff's voice is heard over the radio.]
Jeff Tracy: "Welcome back, Scott. You made good time. I just heard a newscast about the fire."
Scott Tracy: "Yeah, that was quite a blaze!"
[Thunderbird 1 lands on Tracy Island. Scene cuts to Virgil piloting Thunderbird 2.]
Virgil Tracy: "Father, better get Brains to stand by. I developed a fault in the electrical system when we were at the fire."
Jeff Tracy: "All right Virgil. OK, Brains, let's get it fixed at once. We can't afford to be un-operational."
Brains: "Yes, Mr Tracy."
[Thunderbird 2 lands on Tracy Island and reverses into its hangar. Cuts to Jeff's office, where a warning alarm goes off.]
Jeff Tracy: "Virgil, hold everything. Don't release the pod! On no account release the pod."
[Cuts to the cockpit of Thunderbird 2.]
Alan Tracy: "What's up?"
[Cuts back to Jeff and Gordon in Jeff's office.]
Jeff Tracy: "Contact Scott. We'll all rendezvous in Thunderbird 2 hangar."
Gordon Tracy: "Yes, father."
[Jeff gets out a gun from his desk and walks off. Cuts to Thunderbird 2.]
Virgil Tracy: "Cut motors."
Alan Tracy: "Motors cut. All pumps down to zero. Inlet valves closed. Well, Virgil, what happens now?"
Virgil Tracy: "Well, we'll just have to sit tight."
[Jeff enters Thunderbird 2's hangar. Moments later, Scott and Gordon also arrive, through a different entrance.]
Jeff Tracy: "Stay where you are, Scott. Cover the pod entrance when she comes down."
Scott Tracy: "Right."
Jeff Tracy: "OK, Virgil, release the pod and open the flap. There's a saboteur on board."
Alan Tracy: "A saboteur?"
[Virgil flicks a switch and Thunderbird 2 slowly rises up, releasing the pod.]
Virgil Tracy: "Now the flap."
[Virgil opens the flap. Jeff calls out through a loudhailer.]
Jeff Tracy: "All right! We know you're in there. Come out or we're gonna blast you out!"
[Nothing happens.]
Jeff Tracy: "You'd better move, you don't stand a chance."
[Chip appears from inside the pod.]
Chip Morrison: "Don't shoot. Please don't shoot! I didn't mean any harm."
[Scene cuts to Jeff's office. Jeff is reading his sons the riot act.]
Jeff Tracy: "It shouldn't have happened! The aircraft shouldn't have been left unguarded."
Scott Tracy: "But, Father...."
Jeff Tracy: "No 'buts', Scott. It shouldn't have happened, and that's all there is to it. This constitutes a security hazard. We've got a boy here at our base and he's got to be returned to his home. He's seen us all, and he knows our location. Perhaps you can suggest what we should do. Anybody got any bright ideas? No bright ideas? O.K. Where's the boy now?"
Scott Tracy: "Virgil is taking care of him."
Jeff Tracy: "And I hope Virgil is keeping his mouth shut!"
[Cuts to Thunderbird 2's hangar. Virgil and Chip are admiring Thunderbird 2.]
Chip Morrison: "It's enormous. Is this the machine you fly, Virgil?"
Virgil Tracy: "Look, Chip, we've got very strict security here. I can't tell you anything!"
Chip Morrison: "Of course, I understand. You know, when I grow up I want to be a member of International Rescue... except I'd like to fly Thunderbird 1."
Virgil Tracy: "Why Thunderbird 1?"
Chip Morrison: "Well, I imagine it's faster, and more important."
Virgil Tracy: "More important? Without Thunderbird 2, none of the rescues would be possible. For example, take the time we went to save Eddie Houseman. Eddie was a partner in a powerful road construction company, building a highway right through the heart of a mountain range. But progress on the road had been held up by a series of earth tremors, which brought a landslide onto the path they had cut through the mountain. Eddie however was not a guy to give in easily. He ignored warnings of further dangerous landslides, and set off alone through the stormy night with a load of nutomic charges, hoping to blast the mountain so it would fall away from the road, instead of onto it."
[Scene cuts to inside the Road Construction Vehicle, as seen in the episode "End of the Road". Lester and Chuck Taylor are watching the seismograph. Bob is using the radio.]
Lester: "Getting worse all the time...."
Bob Gray: "Hello, Eddie? Eddie, can you hear me? No word for half an hour."
Lester: "You'd better try again."
Bob Gray: "Eddie? Eddie, this is Bob. Call in! No good. I guess we'll have to...."
[Scene cuts to Eddie entering the Explosives Vehicle.]
Eddie Houseman: "Hi, Bob. This is Eddie. I've planted the charges."
Bob Gray: "Eddie, then get out of there! That peak's cracking up! There'll be a landslide any minute!"
Eddie Houseman: "Then I guess I'd better fire the charges now."
Bob Gray: "You'll be too close! Get away from there, you'll kill yourself. The company isn't worth it! Eddie? Eddie, can you hear me? He cut off. He cut off!"
[Scene cuts to the mountain. Several big explosions go off. The Explosives Tractor is blown sideways by the force. Cuts back to Bob, who's on the radio again.]
Bob Gray: "Eddie? Eddie! Can you hear me?"
Eddie Houseman: "Yeah. Yeah, I can hear you."
Bob Gray: "You did it! You're OK. Eddie, the cutting's in no danger now. We can see from here."
Eddie Houseman: "Bob, listen. The blast took my tractor right to the edge. I can't get out. If I move to the door, the thing will overbalance."
Bob Gray: "OK. Keep calm, Eddie. We're on our way."
Eddie Houseman: "There's worse to come. I still have a case of nutomic charges on board. If this goes over the edge, I'm gonna be blown sky-high."
[Briefly cuts to show the Tractor teetering, then back to Bob on the radio.]
Bob Gray: "Calling International Rescue. International Rescue, come in, please. Calling International Rescue. International Rescue, come in."
[Cuts to Thunderbird 1 and Thunderbird 2 racing towards the Danger Zone.]
Scott Tracy: "Thunderbird 2 from Thunderbird 1. I'm glad to see you, fellas. Now, here's the situation, Virgil."
[Cuts to show Thunderbird 2 with its Pod-Grabs lowered, approaching the tractor. Its vertical jets fire up, nearly causing the Tractor to fall off the edge.]
Scott Tracy: "Pull away, Virgil! Your vertical jets are tipping it over!"
[Thunderbird 2 pulls away.]
Scott Tracy: "Hey, wait! I've got an idea."
Scott Tracy: "If this works, Virgil, come straight in and grab it."
[Thunderbird 1 approaches the tractor and uses its nosecone to support it.]
Scott Tracy: "Stand by, Virgil."
Virgil Tracy: "F.A.B."
Scott Tracy: "OK, Virgil. Come in now. I'll take the strain."
Virgil Tracy: "F.A.B. Coming in now."
Alan Tracy: "O.K., we've got it!"
Scott Tracy: "It's all yours."
[Thunderbird 2 lifts up the tractor with the Pod-Grabs and flies off slowly.]
Virgil Tracy: "So you see, Chip, Eddie Houseman was saved. Another mission was successfully completed and we set off for home."
[Scene cuts back to Virgil and Chip on Tracy Island.]
Chip Morrison: "Gosh, I wish I'd been there!"
[Alan Tracy appears.]
Alan Tracy: "Virg, father wants a word with you in the lounge."
Virgil Tracy: "Hm? Oh, thanks. You take care of Chip, will you, fella?"
Alan Tracy: "Thanks!"
[Virgil leaves.]
Chip Morrison: "I liked Virgil. He told me all about Thunderbird 2."
Alan Tracy: "Oh, he did, did he? Well, he shouldn't have. I'll tell you something, young fellow: you'll get nothing out of me about Thunderbird 3."
Chip Morrison: "So, you're the pilot of Thunderbird 3?"
Alan Tracy: "Yeah... I'm the pilot of Thunderbird 3."
Part Two.
[Scene opens on Alan and Chip in Thunderbird 3's silo.]
Chip Morrison: "Gosh, Thunderbird 3! So this is the spaceship. How fast does it travel?"
Alan Tracy: "Well, it's a secret, you see. I'm afraid I can't tell you."
Chip Morrison: "But Virgil told me all about Thunderbird 2."
Alan Tracy: "Well, he shouldn't have!"
Chip Morrison: "I suppose, being a spaceman, you don't get so involved in the rescue operations."
Alan Tracy: "Not so involved? Let me tell you, young fellow, when this baby blasts out into space, I'm the one that's in charge! You remember that Sun Probe rocket that got out of control, and started heading straight for the sun?"
Chip Morrison: "And International Rescue had to go and save it. Yes. Go on."
Alan Tracy: "Everything was going according to plan. The solarnauts were preparing to go into orbit around the sun before releasing the probe.
[Scene cuts to the three solarnauts inside their rocket, as seen in the episode "Sun Probe".]
Solarnaut Asher: "Orbital firing, 90 seconds."
Colonel Harris: "Right. How about those radiation figures, Camp?"
Solarnaut Camp: "I have them, Frank. All at phase six."
Colonel Harris: "That's swell. We're gonna be OK."
Solarnaut Asher: "30 seconds to orbital firing."
Colonel Harris: "Stand by to fire retros."
Solarnaut Asher: "Orbital path, ten seconds."
Colonel Harris: "Right. Stand by. Five, four, three, two, one... Retros! Great! We're on correct orbit. Check radiation and temperature levels."
Solarnaut Asher: "Temperature, A-OK."
Solarnaut Camp: "Radiation, A-OK."
Solarnaut Asher: "Twenty seconds to firing time for probe."
Colonel Harris: "All systems on probe are green. Ten seconds."
Solarnaut Asher: "Firing controls are go."
Colonel Harris: "Five seconds. Four, three, two, one... Ignition!"
[Cuts to an exterior shot of the rocket to show the front part separating from the main. It briefly cuts to a TV reporter on the TV screen in Jeff's office, then back to the solarnauts.]
Television Reporter: "Well, folks, the Sun Probe has been fired. We will give you all the details as they are received from the spaceship. The tension here in the studio mounts as we await further news."
Colonel Harris: "She's going fine, straight for the prominence. Sun probe going through flare now."
Solarnaut Camp: "Standing by to fire remote control rockets."
Solarnaut Asher: "Five seconds, four, three, two, one.... Fire!"
[They watch the probe pass through a flare on a screen.]
Solarnaut Asher: "It's coming out! She's turning!"
Colonel Harris: "We've made it."
Solarnaut Asher: "Great. Let's get that probe."
Solarnaut Asher: "And then: back to earth!"
[Cuts to the TV reporter on Jeff's screen.]
Television Reporter: "We have just heard that the probe has collected the matter from a prominence. It is now on its way to rendezvous with the main ship. The solarnauts are in excellent condition. Wait, the probe is being collected now. Just look at this tel-radio picture!"
[The picture shows the probe reconnecting with the main body of the rocket.]
Jeff Tracy: "Well, they pulled it off. I've got to hand it to them. They're great!"
Brains: "I don't think they're gonna make it."
Jeff Tracy: "How's that?"
Brains: "I said, I don't think they're gonna make it."
Jeff Tracy: "But everything's going fine."
Television Reporter: "Hold it, folks. Something's gone wrong. In picking up the probe, the main ship has locked its course. The tracking stations report that the spaceship is heading on a collision course with the sun!"
[Cuts to Thunderbird 3 launching.]
Alan Tracy: [to Chip] "There was no time to waste. We launched Thunderbird 3.".
[Cuts to Alan at the controls.]
Alan Tracy: "Blastoff, A-OK. Leaving earth's atmosphere in 10 seconds."
Scott Tracy: "OK, Alan, I'm coming up. See you later, Tin-Tin."
Tin-Tin: "Yes, Scott."
[Aboard the Sun Probe, things are warming up.]
Colonel Harris: "Just 24 hours to go."
Solarnaut Camp: "To crash into the sun. It's like a nightmare!"
Solarnaut Asher: "Yeah. One I've had many times."
Colonel Harris: "Well, there's still time. We've got a whole day before...."
Solarnaut Asher: "Before we melt to nothing! Why doesn't earth do something?"
Alan Tracy [over the radio]: "Solar Module from International Rescue. Do you read me."
Solarnaut Asher: "Now I'm hearing things. I thought that was the radio."
Alan Tracy: "Come in, Solar Module, this is International Rescue."
Colonel Harris: "It IS the radio."
Solarnaut Asher: "Yes, sir!"
Solarnaut Asher: "Solar Module to Thunderbird 3. Where are you? Can you help us?"
Alan Tracy: "We hope so. We're going to try to fire your retros from space."
Tin-Tin: "We're two hours away from calculated release area, Scott."
Scott Tracy: "Check. But the cabin temperature is increasing rapidly. We can't go much closer to them."
Alan Tracy: "Why not try it now."
Scott Tracy: "OK. At least we'll know how short we are of success."
Tin-Tin: "I heard that. Operating safety beam now."
[Alan and Scott watch the safety beam travel towards Sun Probe on a screen. It fails to reach its target.]
Scott Tracy: "Negative. We're four hours short."
Alan Tracy: "Four hours. But that means we'll have to go much closer to the sun than was estimated."
Scott Tracy: "It looks like it."
[Cuts to Sun Probe.]
Colonel Harris: "I can't stand the heat. It's so hot."
Solarnaut Camp: "Are you sure you can't get any more out of the refrigeration plant?"
Colonel Harris: "No. Nothing's working any more."
Solarnaut Camp: "Where's that rescue ship? It's nearly four hours since we were in contact with them."
[Cuts to Thunderbird 3.]
Alan Tracy: "We daren't go much closer. The hull won't stand much more. Try the signal again, Tin-Tin. Tin-Tin, try the signal again."
Tin-Tin: "Yes. Try the signal again."
[Alan and Scott watch the safety beam as it fails to reach its target again.]
Alan Tracy: "It's still short. Can't you increase the power, Tin-Tin?"
Tin-Tin: "I can overrun the system up to about 0.5."
Alan Tracy: "Then do that, will you. We just can't go any closer."
[This time, the screen shows the beam reaching the Sun Probe. Scene cuts to Sun Probe. Its engines roar into action.]
Colonel Harris: "This is it, I guess. The ship's breaking up. I figured I'd be dead before it happened. I reckon it won't be long now. Why am I still alive? Why isn't the module melting? Say, that noise.... It's the rocket motors! They've fired! Asher, Camp, we're leaving the sun! We're gonna live!"
[Cuts back to Thunderbird 3.]
Alan Tracy: "OK, the solar ship's out of danger. Let's head for home."
Scott Tracy: "Just in time, I guess. I couldn't have stood much more of this heat."
Alan Tracy: "Fire retros."
[The retros fire and Thunderbird 3 heads for home. Scene cuts back to Alan and Chip on Tracy Island.]
Chip Morrison: "Gosh, that was some rescue operation! You certainly are a member of International Rescue."
Scott Tracy: "Ah, there you are, Chip. Hey, Alan, father would like a word with you."
[Cuts to Jeff's office. Jeff is hopping mad.]
Jeff Tracy: "This is an impossible situation. Alan, how's the kid?"
Alan Tracy: "Fine. I left him in Thunderbird 3 silo with Scott."
Jeff Tracy: "Thunderbird 3 silo with Scott?! What was he doing there?"
Alan Tracy: "Well, you see, Father..."
Jeff Tracy: "Yeah, I know. You didn't tell him a thing. Well, at least he's with Scott now, he won't get anything out of him."
[Cuts to Scott and Chip. They're in the cockpit of Thunderbird 1. Chip is in the pilot's seat.]
Chip Morrison: "Gosh, Thunderbird 1! This is certainly a great machine."
Scott Tracy: "Yeah, I thought you'd like it. Gee, I remember the first time I sat there, during our first mission. You see, my brother John had radioed in from the space station to say that Tin-Tin's aircraft, the Fireflash, had been sabotaged and couldn't land because a bomb had been placed in the landing gear. So, I dashed out to London and set up my Mobile Control headquarter in the tower at the airfield."
[Cuts to the control tower of London International Airport, as seen in the episode Trapped In The Sky.]
Scott: "Now, let's recap. Fireflash has another thirty minutes before its radiation safety factor expires."
Commander Norman: "Right."
Scott: "Now, the specialised gear I require for the rescue will be here in twenty minutes. Leaving us just ten minutes to put our rescue into operation." [He picks up a microphone.] "Thunderbird 2, this is Mobile Control."
[Scene cuts to Thunderbird 2 cockpit.]
Scott [On radio.]: "Confirm estimated time of arrival London Airport."
Virgil: "OK, Scott. Arriving in nineteen and one half minutes from now."
Scott [On radio]: "Now, as soon as you arrive, unload high-speed Elevator Car with two radio-controlled subsidiaries.
[Control tower.]
Scott: "Then, proceed to end of runway Two Nine and report."
Virgil [On monitor]: "Thunderbird 1, F.A.B."
Scott: "Fireflash, this is International Rescue, Mobile Control."
[Fireflash cockpit.]
Scott [On radio.] "In approximately eighteen minutes from now, I will request you to land on runway Two Nine."
[Control tower.]
Scott: "You are to come in with your landing gear up. Repeat: landing gear up. Make a completely normal approach, and keep your head...
Captain Hanson [On radio.]: "Message understood. What's the action?"
Scott: "Now listen carefully. We can't afford any mistakes."
[Scene cuts to Thunderbird 2 landing in a massive cloud of smoke. Cuts briefly to the exterior of the control tower where Scott, Commander Norman and Harris look on before Thunderbird 2's main body begins to ascend. Cue Fireflash takeoff theme. Once it is fully raised, the pod door to Pod 3 is lowered. Two Elevator Cars then move out, with Virgil in the Master one. Scene cuts to Fireflash cockpit.]
Captain Hanson: "Mobile Control from Fireflash. We have only five minutes left. Unless you can start rescue operation immediately, we've had it."
[Control tower.]
Scott: "Stand by, Fireflash. Thunderbird 2 from Mobile Control. Are you ready, Virgil?"
[Scene cuts to runway two-nine. A second subsidiary Elevator Car has joined the first and Master ones, in triangular formation. Scene cuts to Virgil.]
Virgil: "Mobile Control and Fireflash. This is Thunderbird 2. I'm ready."
[Control tower.]
Scott: "Thunderbird 2 from Control, F.A.B. Control to Fireflash, commence your approach. And good luck. After acknowledgement of this transmission, do not make any further calls. Whatever happens, keep this frequency clear."
[Fireflash cockpit.]
Captain Hanson: "Roger, Control. Starting approach now. And however it turns out, thanks."
[Fireflash descends.]
Assistant Controller: "Aircraft approaching glide path, five miles to threshold."
Scott: "Stand by, Virgil. Fireflash on final approach."
[Scene cuts to Fireflash cockpit.]
Fireflash co-pilot: "On glide path. Rate of descent 500 feet a minute."
[Control tower.]
Assistant Controller: "Three and a half miles to threshold."
Scott: "Stand by crash tenders."
Commander Norman: "Crash tenders to centre of runway two-nine."
Crash tenders: "Roger."
[Scene cuts to runway two-nine. Two ambulances and fire tenders start up and accelerate towards the end. Scene cuts to Fireflash cockpit.]
Co-pilot: "Runway ahead, two miles."
[Scene cuts to runway two-nine, then to Fireflash descending before back to control tower.]
Scott [Into radio.]: "Fireflash now one mile from threshold. Start tracking."
Virgil: "Mobile Control, F.A.B."
[The three Cars get going.]
[Control tower.]
Assistant Controller: "Fireflash 500 yards from threshold. Airspeed 120 knots."
Scott: "Increase to 105."
Virgil: "105. F.A.B."
[Scene cuts to Master Elevator Car accelerating. Cuts to Fireflash flying over the runway, then to the three Cars, then to Fireflash, then to the Master Elevator Car. Virgil has his frown expression on. Cue On Final Approach theme. Fireflash flies over the three Cars. Virgil looks to his left. Elevator Car 4 is in position. He looks to his right. Elevator Car 2 is in position.]
[Fireflash cockpit.]
Virgil [On radio]: "Fireflash from Thunderbird 2—"
[Master Elevator Car.]
Virgil: "—cut engines!"
[The right wing of fireflash lands successfully on Elevator Car 2. The main body lands successfully on the Master Elevator Car. Virgil looks to his left. The port wing is not over Elevator Car 4 and it drops slightly.]
Virgil: "Fireflash, lift port wing! LIFT PORT WING!"
[Fireflash raises its port wing and Virgil accelerates Car 4 to the correct position.]
Virgil: "Cut power!"
[The port wing lands successfully on Elevator Car 4.]
[Master Elevator Car.]
Virgil: "OK, Fireflash-"
[Fireflash cockpit.]
Virgil [On monitor]: "-reverse thrust!"
[Scene cuts to runway exterior. Fireflash activates its reverse thrusters, but it isn't enough to slow it down.]
[Master Elevator Car.]
Virgil: "I'm applying brakes down here."
[All three Cars brake hard. But it still isn't enough.]
[Fireflash cockpit.]
Captain Hanson: "We're not gonna make it! We're running out of runway!"
[Scene cuts to runway exterior. Fireflash almost slips off the front Car.]
[Master Elevator Car.]
Virgil: "Hold tight, Fireflash! Applying maximum brakes!"
[Simultaneously, all three Cars brake at their hardest. Scene cuts briefly to the wing compartment where the bomb is, then a close up shot of the front Car's wheels scraping along the runway surface. They suddenly blow up. Virgil looks to his left. Elevator Car 4's wheels succumb to the strain and blow up. The lead elevator car blows out some tyres and spins out of control. The nose cone of Fireflash slams down onto the runway, as the Master Elevator Car smashes into it and veers to the left off the runway, before swerving, rolling over and landing on its roof. Scene cuts to wing compartment, the bomb is being shaken around slightly. Scene cuts to a close up shot of Fireflash's nose cone scraping along the runway surface. Fireflash comes to a stop. The bomb slips out of position, but doesn't drop or detonate.]
Commander Norman: "They made it. They made it!" [To Scott:] "Jolly good show, old boy!"
Harris: "And what a show..."
Scott: "Are you O.K., Virgil?"
[Master Elevator Car. Virgil has been tossed out of his seat and is upside down, but OK.]
Virgil: "OK, Scott. Good timing."
Scott [On radio]: "Great, Virgil—"
[Control tower.]
Scott: "—Just great."
[Crash crews arrive at the Fireflash. Scene cuts to Chip and Scott on Tracy Island.]
Chip Morrison: "That must have been exciting! I could picture the whole thing."
Scott Tracy: "You could? Well, er... you just keep it to yourself."
Chip Morrison: "All that's left is Thunderbird 4. Gosh, I really am looking forward to seeing that."
Scott Tracy: "Hey, not so fast. You hold on, young fella! You've been told too much already. And there's no good looking disappointed. The answer is no! Absolutely, definitely, NO!"
Part Four.
[Scene opens on Thunderbird 4 inside Pod 4. Inside it are Gordon and Chip. Chip is at the controls.]
Chip Morrison: "So, this is Thunderbird 4? It's quite small compared with the others."
Gordon Tracy: "Maybe it is, but it's a very necessary part of International Rescue."
Chip Morrison: "Yeah, but I suppose you're only involved in underwater rescues, like when someone's trapped in a submarine. That can't happen very often."
Gordon Tracy: "Look, Chip, I'm involved in all types of rescues. Unfortunately, I can't tell you about them."
Chip Morrison: "Hey, I remember, like that one at Allington Bridge!"
Gordon Tracy: "You remember that? Oh, yeah! That sure was a tough one. Who'd have thought at the time that an underwater craft would have been used to save a Martian probe rocket? You see, the rocket was being transported to a site in England, because this was the most suitable spot for a launching to Mars. If the rocket were to miss its launching date, it would mean a wait of four year wait before the planet was in the right position again. Inside the nose cone, the two American engineers from Cape Kennedy had made their final preparations, before the rocket was sent into space, and were now on the last stage of the long journey to the launching site."
[Scene cuts to the two astronauts inside the rocket, as seen in the episode "Day of Disaster".]
Bill: "Once we've crossed the bridge, we're not far from the launch site."
Frank: "And boy, will I be glad to get out and stretch my legs for a bit."
[Scene cuts to a view of the convoy and then to the Control Room of the Allington suspension bridge. The bridge controller and his assistant Clayton are watching the convoy as it drives onto the bridge.]
Controller: Well, it would appear everything is proceeding exactly to schedule."
Clayton: "And let's hope that we're not the ones to ruin it."
Controller: "Clayton, you're not still on about that! You know as well as I do that this bridge can take the weight of this spacecraft easily! Now for heavens sake, let's not hear anymore about it!"
[The Controller walks away.]
Clayton: [sotto] "The bridge can take the weight OK in evenly distributed traffic, but can it in one solid mass?"
[Scene cuts to Creighton-Ward Manor, where the rocket moving across the bridge is shown on the TV.]
2nd NTBS Reporter: "And this particular bridge was constructed forty-two years ago as a link in the mighty North-South Super Highway. The transporting of the Martian Probe rocket has caused a temporary diversion. Through-traffic today is being directed over the Hollis Bridge."
[Cuts back to the bridge where the convoy has reached the second suspension tower. Cuts to Allington Control. The Controller is surveying the scene.]
Clayton: "The tonnage indicator is at maximum..."
[A brief shot reveals that the tonnage indicator reads "Overload".]
[Cuts to a behind shot of the convoy, then to the nose cone cabin, then to the side of the transporter with MSP. Cue World Exclusive Foiled! theme tune as an undershot shows the bridge moving slightly. Then the suspension cables begin to snap.]
[Nose Cone Cabin.]
Bill: "Hey, what's going on?!"
Frank: "What in thunder was that?!"
[More cables snap. Cuts to Allington Control.]
Controller: "She's not gonna make it... she's not gonna make it!"
[Cuts to Creighton-Ward mansion. Brains is on his feet.]
Brains: "Lady Penelope! Lady Penelope! The bridge, er, i-it's gonna collapse! LOOK, IT'S GONNA COLLAPSE!"
[The convoy is a couple of feet away from the third tower. More cables snap clean off. Some debris comes falling down. The transporter begins to slide and loses its balance.]
Frank: "We're not gonna make it, Bill! We're not gonna make it!"
[The bridge gives way, the third tower explodes and the rocket and the tower come crashing down into the river. The rocket hits the riverbed in takeoff position and becomes buried in debris.]
[Nose cone cabin. A countdown with both hands at 12 starts up.]
Frank: "Bill, do ya know what's happened? The automatic countdown started! The impact must've started the countdown... We're gonna be blown to pieces!"
[A final shot of the clock ticking away and a shot of the Martian Probe rocket surrounded by debris. Cuts to FAB 1 speeding along a motorway. Parker is driving, Penelope and Brains are in the back.]
Penelope: "What do you plan to do when we get to the bridge, Brains?"
Brains: "Well, uh, I-I'm not sure, it'll depend on how bad it is."
Gordon [to Chip]: "So they made their way to the bridge, and on arrival, Brains went up to the Control Room to assist in the rescue operation. At last, Thunderbirds arrived on the scene."
[Scene shows Thunderbird 2 arriving, then cuts to Virgil in the cockpit.]
Virgil: "Releasing pod now."
[The pod is released, and Thunderbird 4 launches into the water. Scene cuts to Bridge Control. Brains is talking softly into his watch.]
Brains: "Now, look, this may sound crazy, Gordon, but this is what I want you to do. You've got to get that nose cone clear by firing the missiles."
Controller: "He's still at it, poor fellow. Seems to be under some delusion that he's in charge of the rescue!"
Clayton: "We're desperate enough even to listen to him."
Controller: "Yes, but he's just suggested that they should fire missiles!"
[Cuts to Thunderbird 4 firing two missiles at the rocket.]
Frank: "Hey! What are they trying to do? Blow us to pieces?"
Bill: "They needn't bother. Look at the time now."
[The clock shows only 8 minutes remain.]
Brains: "Is the debris clear yet, Gordon? Is it clear?"
Gordon: "I can't see yet. It's OK, Brains! She's clear!"
Brains: "And then, Thunderbird 2 can get them clear. I sort of doubt if it will work, but it's my only suggestion."
Scott: "It's worth a try, Brains. Stand by, Virgil."
Frank: "It's gone quiet again."
Bill: "They won't give up until the end. They're planning something."
[Thunderbird 4 rams into the rocket, loosening the nose-cone, which gently floats up to the surface.]
Controller: "They've done it! They've got the nose cone clear!"
[Thunderbird 2 lowers its grabs and picks the nose-cone up out of the water.]
Frank: "Hey, Bill! We're airborne! - We're clear of the river!"
Bill: "Yeah, with half a minute to spare."
[The clock ticks down the remaining few seconds and the rocket blasts off. After a short, erratic flight, it blows up in mid-air. Scene cuts back to Gordon and Chip on Tracy Island.]
Chip Morrison: "So, International Rescue had done it again!"
[Scene cuts to Tracy Villa. Scott, Alan and Virgil are conferring outside Jeff's office.]
Scott Tracy: "Look, Alan, I tell you: father's really blowing his top!"
Alan Tracy: "Well, don't look at me like that! Who showed him round Thunderbird 1? By the way, where's the kid now?"
Virgil Tracy: "I don't know, don't ask me."
Scott Tracy: "What do you mean, you don't know?! Look, fellows, if that kid is roaming around the base on his own, Dad's gonna go berserk! Let's face it, we've given away too much information already. Let's start a search."
[Gordon has been looking into Jeff's office and calls them over.]
Gordon Tracy: "Pssst! Hey, fellas! Just take a look at this."
[Inside Jeff's office, Jeff and Chip are talking. Chip is sitting behind Jeff's desk.]
Jeff Tracy: "Of course, a rescue operation of that size takes quite a lot of organising."
Chip Morrison: "And you control everything from here?"
Jeff Tracy: "Yep, that's right. I control the whole works from here. I've only got to push one of these buttons, and it's 'Thunderbirds Are Go!' Yes, Chip, it's quite an organisation."
[Cuts to the whole team in Jeff's office some time later.]
Jeff Tracy: "What are we gonna do? We have to get the boy back to his home, and we have to prevent a security leak. Now, how do we do it? I've got it! Now then. Chip stowed away in England. That is almost directly the other side of the world from our base here, right?"
All: "Right."
Jeff Tracy: "So, instead of Chip being asleep at his home, he's been awake, and very much awake, here at the base. Because, when it's night in England, it's day here. So, just now, Chip must be a very tired little boy. Right?"
All: "Right."
Jeff Tracy: "O.K., now listen carefully. This is what we're gonna do. We put Chip to bed. The kid has been awake for 24 hours, so he'll sleep like a log. Then we'll transfer his bed to Thunderbird 2. At top speed, we should be able to get him back to his home before dawn breaks. Now, the kid got out undetected, so you should be able to get him back undetected. If all goes well, and the operation is completed successfully, the boy will wake up in the morning and think that the whole thing has been a dream."
[Scene cuts to Chip's bedroom. His father enters, his face and clothes rather grubby, as Chip wakes up.]
Chip Morrison: "Mr. Tracy? Oh, it's you, Dad."
Mr. Morrison: "Aye, son. I've just come in from the mine. That International Rescue team were fantastic!"
Chip Morrison: "Yeah! I know, Dad. You should see their base and the Thunderbird machines! Wow!"
Mr. Morrison: "Have you been dreaming again, Chip."
Chip Morrison: "I suppose so, Dad. But it seemed so real."
Mr. Morrison: "Yeah, dreams often seem just like the real thing."
[Cuts to Virgil and Scott on board Thunderbird 2. Scott is talking into the radio.]
Scott Tracy: "Thunderbird 2 to base. Mission successfully completed. Security hazard negative."