Bravo Blue! - A Gerry Anderson A21 News Report

by A21 Reporter Andy Clems

This morning the Director General of the United Asian Republic expressed her sincere thanks to Spectrum's Captain Blue for his vital role in foiling a Mysteron plot to destroy the new XT7-B satellite launch vehicle. It was also announced that a Gala Reception would be held in the Captain's honour. The rocket, a new experimental design, is an important breakthrough in the UAR's space program, marking the first time the republic has the capability to launch artificial weather stabilization satellites without the need for international assistance. The program, which has the full support of NASA and EUROSEC, was proceeding according to schedule until the threat issued by the Mysterons last Tuesday. The warning, which included the statement "your attempts to alter the course of nature will not succeed" was acted on immediately by Spectrum's worldwide task force. Agent Randall, Spectrum Intelligence's operative in the region, reported the nature of the XT7-B project to Cloudbase HQ and Captain Blue was assigned to investigate further. After an initial fruitless search, a chance encounter with the site's chief maintenance technician, Gardner, aroused Captain Blue's suspicions. Blue used a Spectrum Mysteron Detector to reveal Gardner was in fact a Mysteron duplicate, attempting to sabotage the rocket's launch by concealing a high explosive on the craft's hull. On being discovered, the Mysteron agent attempted to make good his escape by climbing the rocket gantry. Captain Blue gave chase and cornered the Mysteron on one of the umbilical supports connected to the rocket. "We were perhaps 200 feet up." recalls Blue. "He had climbed out towards the XT7-B and was holding a device I took to be an explosive or some kind of incendiary. I shouted a warning, told him to put it down. He didn't go for that, just replied that the Mysterons would be avenged and made to detonate the device. I didn't want to chance a stray shell hitting the rocket, so I dived forward onto the umbilical walkway. It caught him off guard and as I managed to wrestle the device from his grasp, he stumbled backwards, tried to stop himself, but toppled over the edge and fell to the ground far below." Captain Blue's heroic actions resulted in the completely successful test of the XT7-B, bringing the UAR's dream of weather stabilization technology and its benefits for humanity one step closer to reality.