Flight 104


THIS IS THE VOICE OF THE MYSTERONS; WE KNOW THAT YOU CAN HEAR US, EARTHMEN. THE CONFERENCE AT LAKE TOMA WILL BE SABOTAGED. WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO, BUT YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED.

Captains Scarlet and Blue have been assigned to guard the president's scientific advisor, physicist Dr. Conrad, and escort him to a conference in Switzerland. Unfortunately for them, a journalist and his photographer spot the scientist and realise that there's a story in it. The photographer manages to disguise himself as a waiter, and delivers two steak dinners to the captains' room. He gets some good shots of Scarlet, but when he returns to his own room and develops the photos, Scarlet appears as a silhouette.*

When Scarlet, Blue and Dr. Conrad leave for the airport the next morning, they are tailed by the paparazzi. Dr. Conrad is concerned, but Scarlet tells him that at least, if the journalists are following them, they know where the pair are. Once they reach the airport, it is explained that Spectrum have bought all the seats on the plane, so as not to have any problems with assassins or the like on board. However, Spectrum allows the journalists to board the plane too, so that they are able to control the story that is eventually released to the press.

However, disaster strikes when air traffic control loses contact with the plane. Spectrum have no way of contacting the captains, as they are out of uniform, so Colonel White sends out the Angels to make contact. Destiny spreads red smoke outside the plane to alert the captains to the danger that they are in. Blue breaks into the cockpit and the pair attempt to retake the plane.

They have little success, and the plane begins to lose height over the Alps. As it squeezes between two mountains, it passes over a power station, and the Mysteron hold on the plane is released by the high voltage.

Scarlet and Blue pilot the plane to the airport where they are due to land. Unfortunately, however, when Blue shot through the lock, a stray bullet hit the circuit controlling the undercarriage, and they will have to make an emergency landing. Scarlet orders Blue to gather everyone at the back of the plane and he lands it, skids along the runway, and the nose crashes into a building. The passengers of Flight 104 manage to jump free, escaping the fate that Scarlet suffers; another death.

*Note: There are several explanations for this occurrence. One is offered by Mary J. Rudy in 'A Chance For A Lifetime' (available from the Spectrum Headquarters) - that Spectrum has a device capable of causing the bearer to appear in silhouette in photographs.
Another is that Mysterons cannot be photographed using normal methods, only with a Mysteron detector. (If anyone can find the story with this reference in it, I'd be most grateful)



Back to Mission Logs