Invasion Threat? (short story)

Invasion Threat? was a TV21 Stop Press short story printed in TV Century 21 in 1968. It featured as one of its primary settings the location of Unity City, first introduced in The Daleks comic story Duel of the Daleks.

Summary
Jack Hooper makes the claim that creatures so small they are invisible to the human eye have lauched an invasion of Earth. A plumber's mate and radio ham from Southend-on-Sea, Hooper tells a TV21 reporter he accidently intercepted a conversation between Fireball XL5 and Space City which involved Colonel Zodiac informing his base that a fleet of miniature metal eaters had started an attack on Earth. The TV21 reporter later takes the subject to Space City's press officer, who simply laughs, a fair assessment of the situation according to TV21 itself.

Elsewhere, the former Captain Troy Tempest overpowers his guard and makes his escape from Marineville jail. Commander Shore immediately orders a full-scale seek and alert operation to recapture the convict, bringing to an end one of the most dramatic trials ever held in Unity City.

Meanwhile, Cloudbase refuses to answer questions from the world's newspapers regarding the whereabouts of Spectrum's top agent Captain Scarlet. With Colonel White unavailable for comment, Lieutenant Green deals with the masses of reporters, simply stating "He is on holiday, that is all".

Characters

 * Steve Zodiac
 * Troy Tempest
 * Commander Shore
 * Lieutenant Green
 * Jack Hooper
 * TV21 reporter
 * Press officer

Worldbuilding

 * Steve Zodiac is further reported as saying that the creatures would quickly devour every metal object on the planet if their invasion of Earth was successful.
 * Troy Tempest's escape from his life sentence casts further doubt on Marineville's security.
 * Green is the communications officer for Cloudbase.
 * President Younger is scheduled to give a speech of utmost importance on a World Wide TV hook-up at 2100 GMT.

Story notes

 * This story is another crossover with Fireball XL5, Stingray and Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
 * Although this story stated that Troy Tempest's trial was held in Unity City, the Stingray comic story High Treason! suggested it was actually held in Marineville.

Continuity

 * Steve Zodiac gives the speed at which the metal eaters destroyed the Goliath space freighter the previous week as an example of their devastation. (PROSE: Stingray Downs W.A.F. Bomber)
 * Troy Tempest was detained and put on trial for allegedly attacking and shooting down the World Airforce bomber LSR 20. (PROSE: Stingray Downs W.A.F. Bomber, Thunderbird One - Vanish Mystery)