Thunderpaws: Edge Of Impact

## Summary

Two men, in their control room atop the British Telecom Tower, are imperiled when an aircraft sabotaged by The Hood crashes into the tower, leaving it in danger of collapse. They can't be rescued directly, however: the tower's swaying precariously in the windy conditions of a full-on gale. Their only hope is International Rescue

## Episode

[Scene: a military jet streaks across the sky. Cue Edge of Impact theme. Somebody speaks to the pilot over the radio.]

General Bron: Now, Captain, proceed with attack on installation Y.

Captain: Yes, sir.

[Scene cuts to hill-top bunker. Two men have been watching the airplane.]

General Bron: All right, Captain, that will do. Return to base.

Captain: Yes, sir.

General Bron: Well, now are you convinced?

The Hood: General, I am beside myself with admiration. It is the most vicious weapon I have ever seen!

General Bron: Yes. With such an aircraft, I could be master of the land and sea as well, if it were not for Red Arrow!

The Hood [Frown expression on.]: Red Arrow? What is that? Surely no aircraft is superior to what you have just shown me?

General Bron: Yes, in speed alone the Red Arrow can outmaneuver us. I want you to do something for me. A little favour. For which I shall repay you generously...

[The Hood's eyes glow...]

General Bron: I am tired of competition. My army is becoming impatient and restless. All rivals must be removed from my path! Do you follow me?

The Hood [Normal expression on.]: Perfectly, General. Perfectly.

General Bron: Very well. All prototypes of Red Arrow will be destroyed. Soon they will be carrying out the first test. It must fail! Do you understand?

The Hood [Frown expression on.]: Perfectly. Leave it to me. The Red Arrow is doomed!

[Scene cuts to London Airport. A siren blares. Commander Norman talks into a microphone.]

Commander Norman: This is Central Control. This is Central Control. All personnel to clear test area 20. Clear area 20. Maximum security conditions should be operating throughout test procedure. And I want Airport activity to be reduced to an absolute minimum. All emergency personnel will proceed to security stations M, P and Q, and will stand by until further notice. The countdown for Red Arrow project is now operating. This is your final clearance. [He puts down the microphone.] Begin the photographic alert procedure.

Tower Lieutenant: Yes, sir.

Commander Norman: Well, Colonel, the test can proceed. I'm handing over the airfield control to you.

Colonel Casey: Thanks, Norman. OK, clear the hangar and get me the pilot.

Tower Lieutenant: Very good, sir. Hangar now clearing, sir. Pilot's on channel two.

Colonel Casey: Thanks.

[Cuts to a hangar. The door opens, and the hangar moves backwards, revealing a red military jet on a short ramp.]

Colonel Casey: Hello, Race. This is Colonel Casey at base control. I want you to pay close attention to what I am gonna say. Now, this is no normal aeroplane that you'll be taking up today. Remember that. I want no exhibition flying. I want all flying instructions carried out to the letter and no more. Is that clear?

Race: Yes, sir.

Colonel Casey: All right then. Here are the routines that you'll follow: take off and climb to 6,000 feet."

[Cuts to a blue laundry van, parking. The Hood, wearing a disguise, is behind the wheel.]

The Hood: Yes, this is as good a place as any to watch the Red Arrow. I don't think it be will going very far today!

[Cuts to Red Arrow 1 on its launch ramp, which lifts to 30 degrees. Cuts to control tower.]

Colonel Casey: Well, here we go.

Commander Norman: Good luck, sir.

Colonel Casey: Thanks, Norman.

[Brief cut to The Hood watching through binoculars, then back to the tower.]

Colonel Casey: Yeah, that's it Race. Now, remember, to the letter!

Race: I understand, sir.

Colonel Casey: Good luck.

[Red Arrow 1 takes off.]

Commander Norman: Well, Colonel, that's some aircraft you've got there.

Tower Lieutenant: Yes, sir, what a performance!"

Race: This is Red Arrow One to GB-7. All systems go. Altitude 6,000. Air speed 4,000. Fuel 7.5. Air speed increasing!

Colonel Casey: Now Red Arrow from GB-7, hold your air speed below 4,000. Repeat. Hold your air speed below 4,000.

Race: Air speed control reaction negative. Still increasing!

Colonel Casey: Red Arrow One, you MUST cut your air speed!

Race: I-I can't hold her! I'm being pulled off course! Cabin pressure dropping.

Commander Norman: Here she comes!

The Hood: "Excellent! Excellent! It's working even better than I dared hope it would!"

Tower Lieutenant: I think he's blacked out, sir.

Commander Norman: Sound red alert!

Colonel Casey: Red Arrow from GB-7. Bail out! Repeat. BAIL OUT!

Commander Norman: He's going to crash!

[The Red Arrow jet crashes into an airport hangar. In the blue laundry van, The Hood starts his engine and drives off.]

Colonel Casey: Oh, what went wrong? What went wrong?

(At Rescue Brigade HQ, Everyone was having breakfast, Butch is reading a newspaper, *The Astronaut Observer*, whose lead story is about the Red Arrow crash.)

Butch [reading aloud]: 'The crash occurred during the first of a series of tests to be carried out on the Red Arrow. Colonel Tim Casey says that in spite of the crash, testing would continue, though he would no longer be supervising the operation. Officials at World Space Control are convinced...' Etcetera, and so on.

Perdita: Say, isn't that the Tim Casey who was with you in the early days of space travel?

Butch: That's right. Looks like he's got quite a problem on his hands.

Perdita: Gosh, you'd think they could eliminate all fault conditions before take off was attempted.

Butch: Well, don't forget Red Arrow is powered by twin rockets and that's still a pretty new field, you know. But it's not like Tim Casey to test a new project and make a slip. Of course it could be sabotage.

Perdita: Sabotage?

Sasha: What makes you think that, father?

Butch: Well, Sasha, the Red Arrow is a mighty powerful weapon. A weapon that some people would like to see out of action for a long time.

[Scene cuts to The Hood's Temple, in the Malaysian jungle. The Hood and General Bron are sitting at a table. Bron burps loudly.]

General Bron: Ah, a most delicious feast, my friend.

The Hood: Thank you, General. I'm glad it suited your mood of celebration.

General Bron: Yes. The fate that befell the Red Arrow was most gratifying. You have indeed served me well.

The Hood: And services merit rewards.

General Bron: Ha-ha, I was forgetting.

[He lifts the lid of a casket, revealing a mass of jewelry. Before The Hood can touch it, he slams it shut again.]

General Bron: Soon, Red Arrow Two goes out on test. It too must fail!

The Hood: It will! It will!

General Bron: Good. Then when the entire Red Arrow project is abandoned, this casket will be yours. You must not fail me in this. My own aircraft must not be superseded!

The Hood: I will not fail you, General. The gold will be mine!

(W.I.P)