Thieves Steal Million Dollars (short story)

Thieves Steal Million Dollars was a Dateline 2066 short story printed in TV Century 21 that contained elements from the Doctor Who universe.

Summary
In the early hours of the morning, thieves break into the National Bank of England on Dean Street in London. Their heist is successful and they get away with over a million pounds in gold bullion. The robbery is soon discovered by a hoverbike cop on patrol, who watches them as they leave the bank. The cop takes a photograph of the abandoned atomic laser machine used to complete the raid before giving chase, though he ultimately loses the criminals. A full police search in an attempt to locate them promptly ensues, with all roads, ports and communications from Great Britain being blocked.

In Unity City, the new Uranian ambassador to Earth Gunga Bin arrives to take office from Hintop Hul, who recently retired. At an airport press conference, Bin states that he is delighted to be working on Earth and hopes to continue peaceful relations. He is then taken to Uranus House where he hosts a dinner for World Government officials. Also in Unity City, the jury at the Federal Court returns to give their verdict in Admiral Washington Beatty's trial, having been out for just over a week. They find him guilty but ask the judge to consider his "outstanding service" in the World Navy. He does so and Thor Bowdine sentences Beatty to seven years on the prison planet of Alcatra. At this, Beatty announces his plan to appeal.

Meanwhile, the World Weather Control satellite Leute 1 develops a fault in the huge magnifying glass and becomes stuck on a fixed orbit around the Earth. The fault makes weather control impossible, though experts expect normal conditions to be resumed as soon as possible.

On Mars, thousands of tourists pour into Kahra to attend the opening ceremony of the Universal State Fair. The fair is opened by the President of Semi Hemisphere Control with all the planets of the Solar System exhibiting articles of interest and four planets from hyperspace doing the same, including Astra.

On Neptune, scientists probing the structure of the planet discover a new metal ore called Blotidium. Months of research and tests later, a spokesman announces that it is the hardest yet most pliable metal in existence, with the Neptune Government further revealing that their new Vebo 4 space probe rocket has been contructed entirely from the material.

Finally, a shoe manufacturer on Venus unveil an "any weather shoe" they have produced. Controlled by small batteries in the heel, they can be heated to any temperature wanted by the wearer to suit the conditions.

Characters

 * Gunga Bin
 * Thor Bowdine
 * Washington Beatty
 * President of Semi Hemisphere Control

Worldbuilding

 * A police spokesman claims the lasers used by the thieves have yet to be fully developed.
 * Gunga Bin is 45 years old.
 * Leute 1 will shortly be replaced by the more advanced Leute 2.
 * Mars is the founding member of Semi Hemisphere Control.
 * All planets in the Solar System, as well as Astra, Dalag, Funf and Trollid, have stands at the fair.
 * The Universal State Fair is planned to last for two months.

Story notes

 * This story revealed that Astra was located in hyperspace. It was not the first time the pages of TV Century 21 had revealed a planet with several prior appearances was in hyperspace as the Dalek homeworld of Skaro was said to be situated there in Genesis of Evil.

Continuity

 * Later reports detailed the exhibits at the Universal State Fair in much more detail. (PROSE: Universal State Fair)
 * Admiral Beatty has been on trial for passing secret information to Bereznik. (COMIC: The Archives of Phryne, The Rogue Planet, PROSE: Beatty Trial Sensation)