Fireflash Mk II Bound for New York (short story)

Fireflash Mk II Bound for New York was the TV21 Stop Press short story printed in a special one-off edition of TV Century 21 published in 2014 as part of Network Distrubuting's Supermarionation boxset. The story featured the planet Astra, which was first mentioned in Doctor Who's The Rescue, and continued the story from Flash: XL5 Crew Held on Astra.

Summary
Millionaire philanthropist Jeff Tracy is among those said to be aboard the maiden flight of the new Mk II Fireflash which is travelling from London to New York. Security is tight at London Airport in a bid to avoid a repetition of the bomb plot which marred the first flight of the Mk I. Airport Commander Norman reports no abnormalities, stating that the airliner had left on schedule and attained its cruising speed of Mach 7 within ten minutes of take-off. Also, the Universal Secret Service issues a warning to all security agencies of a new threat from the recently-revived SOFRAM. It orders all field agents, including the mysterious Agent 21, to be on high alert and investigate any indications of SOFRAM activity. Just as the news breaks, reports come in of an attack on an XL vessel in the United States, with 21 witnessed on the scene.

Elsewhere on Earth, Marineville states in a press release that Stingray will be ferrying the WASP delegate Admiral Kellerman to the much-anticipated Ocean Summit. The International Undersea Congress hopes to negotiate a lasting peace settlement with the peoples of the underwater world though the absence of Titan from the talks is a blow to the organisers. Also, reports reaching the office suggests Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward has defeated a Bereznik-sponsored plot by the Hood to destroy Tracy Island. Meanwhile, on Astra, the Universal Press Agency communicates that ambassadors to the planet have been ordered to return to their homeworlds admist growing rumours of internal power struggles.

Unrelatedly, TV21 covers the alarming threat of destruction it has received at its London offices, believed to be from the Mysterons. It also acknowledges the recent allegations of spreading false information directed at them. It further elaborates that releases from Kahra's Mars press agency concerning the departure of the Mysterons from the planet, as well as the L.U.C.K rays which were hailed as a breakthrough in fighting the Mysterons' retro-metabolic abilities, have been claimed to be fake with no basis in reality. The paper apologises for any lowering of their usually high standards before announcing they have launched an investigation regarding these accusations.

Characters

 * Jeff Tracy
 * Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward
 * Norman

Worldbuilding

 * The "Agent 21" code name is believed by TV 21 to have been held by multiple men over the years.
 * Despite Titan's absence, it is hoped that a representative from Titanica will still attend the Ocean Summit.
 * Captain Troy Tempest of Stingray is said to be an ex-fugitive.
 * The TV 21 Time Machine is working again and delving into the past to report on the exploits of Father Stanley Unwin in his role as a covert agent for British Intelligence.

Story notes

 * This story marks the first crossover between the Doctor Who universe and The Secret Service, which had been published in comic form alongside Doctor Who in TV Action but never featured in TV Century 21 before this issue. With the release of this story, it also meant that every Gerry Anderson-created television series to bear the words "filmed in " had at least once crossed over with the DWU.

Continuity

 * The Universal Secret Service first thwarted SOFRAM in the 2040s. It often sought the secrets of the XL drive that powered the World Security Patrol's most advanced ships. (COMIC: An Eye For An Eye)
 * TV 21 reports on the developing situation of the Astran Civil War. (COMIC: Flash: XL5 Crew Held on Astra)