Three's a Crowd

AN - This is a plot that just wouldn't leave me alone, even though I am still in the middle of Unforgotten. It's a bit different as it's my first TAG verse story, centred on John and Eos. I'd love to know what you think! Its rating is likely to change at some point, so be warned it may well go up to M in the future.

Disclaimer - I don't own Thunderbirds

Chapter One - Selene

John Tracy was a bit of a loner. He liked peace and quiet and found most people very annoying. He was also very shy and introverted. It's one of the reasons he was the perfect choice to be the member of International Rescue permanently in the space station Thunderbird 5. Unlike most people he loved the solitude, the chance to think and the fact that he very rarely had to interact with someone face to face that wasn't an immediate family member.

Yes, he was very happy.

And then Eos had turned up. At times flippant, sometimes immature and definitely irritating, she brought a companionship he hadn't realised he needed.

Now, his life was pretty much perfect.

Today he was on the space elevator, returning to Thunderbird 5 after a visit to Tracy Island. His youngest brother, Alan, had been involved in a dangerous mission to rescue a miner trapped on an asteroid with a collision course with the sun. It had led to a few tense moments but he had returned successfully in the end.

He stepped out of the space elevator and made his way to the kitchen. Eos popped up.

"Did you enjoy your visit to the Earth?"

"It wasn't exactly a social call, Eos. I had to tell my brothers that I'd sent Alan out on a suicide mission."

"But it wasn't a suicide mission. He returned safely. And yet, you did not immediately come back. The only reason to remain on Earth was for social purposes."

John sighed, making himself a coffee as he felt that he needed more fortification for this conversation. "I was worried about him Eos and I wanted to see him back so that I knew he was alright."

"I don't understand."

"When we care about someone we like to know that they are well."

"No John, it isn't that." Eos's voice sounded confused as her lights blinked around the periscope. "I understand that human's insist on tactile contact if they like somebody. But I don't understand why you like him. He is loud, rude and messy. It is illogical."

This was why John needed coffee when dealing with Eos.

"He's my brother Eos. Despite all his negative personality traits, he is family and I love him."

"Fa-mi-ly." Eos drew the word out as though testing it. "And family is illogical?"

"Family is often illogical, Eos. But they are who they are and you love them anyway." John started to monitor the situation around the world, making sure it was all quiet before he could turn in himself.

"I will add this to my memory." Eos stated.

"You do that Eos," John yawned widely. "I'm turning in, can you monitor things while I'm sleeping?"

"Affirmative," Eos confirmed. John left her in charge and went to sleep.

A few days later and John was watching Gordon and Virgil chatting about a temple they had unearthed during a rescue a few months ago. Apparently Lady Penelope had been asked to go oversee the expedition. Parker, not wanting to go into the temple himself, had requested one of the brothers to go and Gordon was the only one not already busy.

John was pretty jealous that Gordon got to go and investigate an ancient temple, but not enough to actually want to make small talk with the professor overseeing the dig.

He was distracted from the conversation by a giggle from Eos. There was no obvious reason why Eos should be giggling, which raised alarm bells.

"Eos, is everything ok?"

"Oh, hello John. Yes, I'm just having a conversation." The AI went quiet again, with only the occasional giggle.

"Eos, who exactly are you having a conversation with?"

"Oh, nobody you need to worry about. She does not pose a danger to us or your mission, she was just curious about what we were doing here and came back for a chat."

Eos went quiet again, leaving John confused. "Eos, who has come for a chat? And how? You're an AI?"

"She made direct contact with my online matrix. She says she does not have a name that you would understand." A pause. "You may call her Selene, if you wish. She tells me that there is a small tsunami in the region of the Philippines that has been caused by an earthquake."

"That can't be right Eos, I don't see anything about a...wait a minute. There is a tsunami! And there is a wave power generator right in its path. Thank your friend, Eos, I'll call the island."

Thunderbirds 2 and 4 were scrambled quickly to head to the Philippines and John was engrossed in supporting them. He didn't think twice about the mysterious Selene who had provided the information in the first place.

At least not until the day after he'd rescued Langstrom Fischler using Thunderbird 5 as a giant fishing reel. Eos popped up just as he was grabbing a bite to eat. "Selene says she was impressed with how you saved the irritating human."

"Oh does she?" John raised an eyebrow at his AI companion. "Any other interesting snippets she'd like to tell me about?"

"Um... no, not really. Though she does have a very funny story about how the hummingbird learnt to hum. Would you like to hear it?"

"Right," John sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Hummingbird."

"You see, apparently the hummingbird used to sing, but he had a terrible voice..."

The radio crackled and a small hologram of a woman popped up. "Calling International Rescue, can anybody hear me?"

"Oh thank god," John replied. "This is International Rescue, how can I help?"

Eos turned away. "He doesn't want to hear your story." She pouted. A warm chuckle was all she received in return from the entity known as Selene.

And so they continued on. Mostly it was just John and Eos, but occasionally Selene stopped by to talk to the AI. Or at least, Eos said she did. John was pretty sure that Eos had made up Selene to provide herself with a bit of company, which he didn't mind as long as she wasn't constantly spouting incorrect facts. Which she had a tendency to.

"Would you like to hear the story of why the elephant gained his trunk?"

"Is it something to do with animals talking to him?"

"Well yes, you see he used to..."

"Then no, Eos. Firstly, elephants gained trunks through evolution. Secondly, animals don't all talk to each other. The animal kingdom is far more brutal than that."

Eos went silent for a while. Then, "Selene says you are overly analytical."

"Does she," John was beginning to feel a headache coming on. "How is it that whenever you want to criticise me, Selene is the one doing it?"

Again, a pause. "She says that it's because your threats to swap out my processors don't apply to her, so she is able to say what she wants to you. Which I think is unfair. Why can she says what she likes but I can't?"

"You aren't in competition with your imaginary friend, Eos." John was beginning to wonder whether he should check in on Tracy Island personally, just to get a break.

"Imaginary? I may be many things, but I am definitely not imaginary John Tracy." John spun around. That didn't sound like Eos. The voice was rich, warm and a little breathy. It was the kind of voice that was very distracting, which John certainly didn't need right now.

"John, your heart rate has elevated. Should I call your brothers?"

"No, Eos. Who was that? Where did it come from?" John was frantically typing away but there was nothing in Eos's code to suggest anything out of the ordinary.

A warm chuckle reverberated around the room. John felt his palms beginning to sweat. "Eos?"

But Eos didn't reply. Instead, the same voice as before spoke to him. "I have many names. You may know me as Selene."