Beatty Trial Sensation (short story)

Beatty Trial Sensation was a Dateline 2066 short story printed in TV Century 21 that contained elements from the Doctor Who universe.

Summary
In a Unity City courtroom, members of the public as well as personnel of the World Navy and the World Aquanaut Security Patrol pack themselves into the gallery in time to see the trial of Admiral Washington Beatty. In the dock, Beatty sits and talks with his defence counsel Friedland Barnhof while Prosecutor Rur Bendin sits at the other side of the room with the District Attorney. Before long, Judge Thor Bowdine enters the chambers and all court officials and the jury are sworn in. As proceedings get underway, Barnhof immediately requests counsel in the judge's chambers for obscure legal arguments and, with Bendin raising no objections, the court is adjourned for thirty minutes. After the recess is over, Bowdine reveals that Barnhof asked for a two week delay in order to collect fresh evidence. With Bendin choosing again not to object, Bowdine grants the request and dismisses the court until 8 March. Also in Unity City, Senator Clive Malaques of Mexico speaks about his Atlantic tunnel project following the news that the Ways and Transport Committee of the World Senate has given the go ahead for a survey, stating that it would begin almost at once.

Elsewhere, in response to recent radio messages received by Space City, the Thunderfour Mach 56 rocket lifts off into space and begins its twenty-five year journey to the Mexican Hat Galaxy. Aided by their nine billion dollars worth of special equipment, the twelve scientists and twelve geologists onboard hope to find out more about the galaxy and to discover new metals and gasses by experimenting on the rocks there.

Across the world, the World Weather Centre appeals all newspapers and magazines to urge farmers to complete their weather request forms for the second half of 2066, which should have been returned in January. Speaking at the Weather Centre, assistant controller Zal Zulondo extends the deadline for one further week, threatening that farmers would not have the weather they need if the Weather Centre could not plan ahead.

In the rest of the solar system, news reports from the other planets reach TV 21. On Jupiter, in protest at the Jupiter Government's rejection of a pay demand for an extra sixty dollars an hour, the leaders of the National Union of Spacedrome Controllers decide to call a national strike on 4 April. On Venus, the National Tourists Office publish their 2065 figures, indicating that more people are spending their holidays there than any other planet in the system. On Mercury, Renfrew Contina is elected president by the Mercury State Committee, succeeding Flar Tornad who recently retired. On Mars, 208 prisoners escape from the planet's top security jail at Zortville by tunnelling their way to freedom. An extensive dragnet is quickly set up to recapture them. Also, on Pluto, colour television is introduced to the planet for the first time.

Meanwhile, Honved Astronians and Satellite Citizen meet in Astra Stadium for the final of the Astran volleyball championships, in front of six hundred thousand spectating Astrans. Honved wins the first set by fifteen points to six but their opponents make a remarkable recovery to win the next two sets by 12-9 and 14-7 respectively. Satelitte's grip is weakened when Honved equalises the rubber, gaining the fourth set 12-9. Going into the final game, both teams fight desperately hard with no break through occurring as they share the points equally. After the 44th point, Honved smashes home to take the championship and final set 25-23. This secures them a passport into the Space Cup competition for the next season in 2067.

Finally, star of the recording-breaking film The Edge of the Galaxy Tolon Vike speeds through busy city streets, ignoring the city limit of 150 miles per hour. Chased by police on hoverbikes for five miles, Vike is ultimately caught and ladened with a charge of dangerous driving. News of the celebrity's misdeeds soon reaches journalists and the story is given a prominent article in that day's reports.

Characters

 * Washington Beatty
 * Friedland Barnhof
 * Rur Bendin
 * Thor Bowdine
 * Tolon Vike
 * Clive Malaques
 * Zal Zulondo
 * Renfrew Contina

Worldbuilding

 * Blue is the traditional colour for the judge's robes during an espionage trial.
 * The cost of the Atlantic tunnel survey is estimated to be over seventeen million crowns which will be met by the World Senate.
 * Volleyball on Astra is different to the version played on Earth because Astrans do not possess arms or legs. Instead, they propel and control the ball by means of a beam transmitted from the centre of their brains.
 * The Astran representatives for the Space Cup in 2066 are Satellite Citizen.
 * If the strike on Jupiter goes ahead, all space traffic to and from the planet will be affected.
 * Renfrew Contina was previously deputy head of the Mercury State Committee.
 * Pluto was the only planet in the Solar System without any television at all until it was introduced from Earth four years prior.

Story notes

 * The publication of this story coincided with the release of the first part of Andromeda Or Die within the same issue, another story to feature the Astrans and the second story arc printed in the pages of TV Century 21 to focus on the planet of Astra, which was first mentioned in The Rescue.

Continuity

 * It was previously reported that Admiral Beatty had been arrested for passing secret information to Bereznik, with the original court date set for 26 February. (COMIC: The Archives of Phyrne)
 * Hans Beula had previously broken the Universe 100 metres record at Astra Stadium. (COMIC: The Penta Ray Factor)
 * The Thunderfour expedition to the Mexican Hat Galaxy later discovered a new planet which its scientists named Honvarallan. (PROSE: 20th Century Bomber Stolen!)