Zodiac Death Sentence! (short story)

Zodiac Death Sentence! was a short story printed in TV Century 21 that contained elements from the Doctor Who universe. Framed as the front page of an in-universe periodical, the titular article instead made reference to the Fireball XL5 comic story Flash: XL5 Crew Held on Astra, which was a crossover with the DWU.

Summary
In a courtroom on Astra, Steve Zodiac awaits for the Prosecuting Kaplan to pronounce the sentence on him and his crew. The room falls silent and ushers move swiftly across it as Steve looks on from behind a secure plextron screen. In the public gallery, a ripple of activity passes amongst the Astrans in attendence. Their bulbous blue bodies betray no emotion, except for the fact they are there to see that justice is done. Finally, a bell is sounded and the Prosecuting Kaplan ascends to the dais to deliver his verdict. Impassively, Steve receives the news that he is guilty on all counts and is to be put to death. He is then escorted out of the courtroom under guard as Earth's legal team gather urgently to discuss the possibility of an appeal. But, hampered by the complexities of an alien legal system, there is nothing they can do but stand by and watch as an innocent man is condemned for a crime he could not possibly have committed.

Meanwhile, on Earth, Spectrum forces across the world continue to search without success for Captain Scarlet, who failed to report to Cloudbase following his disappearance in pursuit of the Mysteron agent Tansi Trefoil. With Trefoil the first Mysteron agent known to have successfully retro-metabolised after the failure of their mission, fears are growing that Scarlet's disappearance may mean he has reverted to Mysteron control.

Characters

 * Steve Zodiac
 * Captain Scarlet
 * Prosecuting Kaplan

Worldbuilding

 * The report from Astra was recorded "yesterday".
 * Steve Zodiac is described in the report as a "valiant space man".
 * Captain Scarlet foiled Tansi Trefoil's plot to destroy the Unity City Games.
 * Trefoil previously escaped from Cloudbase in a stolen SPJ.

Story notes

 * This story is another crossover with Fireball XL5 and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.

Continuity

 * Steve Zodiac and the Fireball XL5 crew were earlier arrested for allegedly destroying an Astran flagship. (PROSE: XL5 Crew Detained on Astra!, Stingray Strikes Back!)
 * The Mysterons have recently returned following their apparent departure from Mars. (PROSE: Fireflash Mk II Bound for New York, Stingray Strikes Back!)