Thunderbird One - Vanish Mystery (short story)

Thunderbird One - Vanish Mystery was a TV21 Stop Press short story printed in TV Century 21 in 1968. It mentioned the location of Unity City, first introduced in The Daleks comic story Duel of the Daleks.

Summary
In the Antarctic, Thunderbird 1 disappears while investigating a hover-truck crash, with Thunderbird 5 reporting that the craft was patrolling an iceberg-heavy area when all radio contact was lost. Thunderbird 4 is immediately launched to begin an underwater search for TB1 but it yields no results. Later, in a late news flash, reports stream in that TB4 has also vanished.

At Glenn Field, Zero X sets off on its journey to the stars, ready to explore the Boroshone Galaxy. With the ship fitted with new engines and fresh armaments, everyone present at Glenn Field is proud to see Zero X's lifting bodies thrust the craft skywards. Meanwhile, the crew of the expedition, consisting of Captain Paul Travers, navigator Brad Newman and co-pilot Greg Martin, all plan to make the trip one for the history books.

Elsewhere, Captain Troy Tempest of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol is sent for trial before the supreme military court on the charge of deliberately attacking and shooting down the World Airforce bomber LSR 20. He enters a plea of not guilty and reserves his defence. In England, local tradesmen who serve at Brent Cleever's farm inform the local TV21 reporter that they have not seen Cleever for over a week. Friends of the former USS agent wonder if he may have returned to active service but Mars and Unity City offer no confirmation of this theory. Finally, reliable sources at Space City relate that Fireball XL5 is in danger of breaking up from a new type of rust, thoroughly baffling scientists.

Characters

 * Troy Tempest
 * Paul Travers
 * Brad Newman
 * Greg Martin
 * Reporter

Worldbuilding

 * Although it could seem inconceivable that Thunderbird 1 has crashed, "strange things" happen in the ice water of Antarctica.
 * Zero X's "long and successful" solar test series is finally over.
 * The journey to the Boroshone will last an expected six months and will not only provide important data on the galaxy itself but also on a new spaceship currently being designed by the Aeronautical Space Research Council.
 * Rust, as it is known on Earth, is impossible in the oxygen-empty environment of space.

Story notes

 * This story is another crossover with Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds and 21.

Continuity

 * International Rescue have been called in to assist with a crash involving eight trucks on the bridge section of the new Antarctic-Australian road. (PROSE: Stingray Downs W.A.F. Bomber)
 * Zero X is on course for the Boroshone Galaxy. (PROSE: Stingray Downs W.A.F. Bomber)
 * Troy Tempest's alleged treason was revealed by Commander Shore in a communique to Unity City. (PROSE: Stingray Downs W.A.F. Bomber)
 * Agent Twenty One, also known as Brent Cleever, has retired from the Universal Secret Service. (PROSE: Stingray Downs W.A.F. Bomber)