08 - Police Your Planet by Lester del Rey

In Police Your Planet, Bruce Gordon finds himself at a crossroads as he stares at his ONE WAY ticket, a symbol of his life choices. With a heavy heart, he tears it into thirty pieces, each representing a year of his life filled with regrets and lost opportunities. From his two years as a cop to his struggles in the boxing ring, from fleeting attempts at professional gambling to his explosive rise as a journalist uncovering the Mercury scandals, Bruces journey has been anything but ordinary. But after a shocking revelation about his big scoop, he receives one last assignment that could change everything. Join Bruce as he navigates the complexities of ambition, truth, and the price of exposure. (Summary by Christian Alexander and Excerpt of Chapter 1)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter eight of Police Sure Planet by Lester Delray. This
LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter eight Vote
Early and Often. Izzie was up first the next morning,
urging them to hurry before things began to hum. From somewhere,

(00:22):
he dug up a suit of clothes that Murdoch could wear.
He found the gun that Gordon had confiscated from O'Neill
and filled it from a box of ammunition he'd apparently purchased.
I picked up some special permits, he said. I knew
you had this cannon, guv'na, and I figured it'd come
in handy. Wouldn't be caught dead with one myself. Knives,

(00:44):
that's my specialty. Come on, cap'n, we gotta get out
the vote. Murdoch shook his head. In the first place,
I'm not registered, Izzie grinned every copse registered in his
own precinct, wainga the honor system fixed for us. Show
your papers and go into any booth in your territory.

(01:06):
That's all, and you'd better be seen voting often too, cap'n.
What's your precinct? Eleventh? But I'm not voting. I'd like
to come along with you to observe, but I wouldn't
make any choice between Wayne and Nolan. Downstairs, the rear
room was locked, with one of Mother Cory's guards at
the door. From inside came the rare sound of water splashing,

(01:30):
mixed with a wheezing off key catterwalling. Mother Corey was
apparently making good on his promise to take a bath.
As they reached the hall, one of Trench's lieutenants came
through the entrance, waving his badge at the protesting man outside.
He spotted the three and jerked his thumb, come on you,

(01:51):
we're late, and I ain't staying on the streets when
it gets going. A small police car was waiting outside,
and they headed for it. Bruce Gordon looked at the
tobacco left behind the drunken looting mob. Most of the
barricades were down here and there a few citizens were
rushing about trying to restore them, keeping wary eyes on

(02:14):
the mobsters who had passed out on the streets. Suddenly,
a siren blasted out in sharp bursts, and the lieutenant jumped,
come on you geese, I gotta be back in half
an hour. They piled inside and the little electric car
took off from its top speed. But now the quietness
had been broken. There were trucks coming out of the

(02:36):
plastic's plant, and mobsters were gathering up their drunks and
chasing the citizens back into their houses. Some of them
were wearing the forbidden guns, but it wouldn't matter on
a day when no police were on duty and the
ninth Precinct, the Planters were the biggest gang, and all
the others were temporary enrolled under them. Here there were

(03:00):
less signs of trouble. The joints had been better barricaded
and the looting had been kept to a minimum. The
three got off. A scooter pulled up alongside them almost
at once, with a gun carrying mobster riding it. You mugs,
get the hell out of oh cops, OK, better pinnies on.

(03:21):
He handed out gaudy armbands and the three fastened them
in place. Nearly everyone else already had them, showing the
Planters were moving efficiently. They were grouped around the boose,
and they had begun to line up their men, putting
them in position to begin voting at once. Then the

(03:43):
siren hooted again, a long, steady blast, the bunting in
front of the booths was pulled off and the lines
begin to move. Izzie led the way to the one
at the rich end of their beat and moved toward
the head of the line. Cops. He said to the
six mobsters who surrounded the booth, we got territory to cover.

(04:06):
A thumb indicated that they could go in. Murdoch remained
outside and one of the thugs reached for him as
he cut him off. Just a friend on the way
to his own Route eleventh precinct. There were scows, but
they let it go. Then Gordon was in the little booth.
It seemed to be in order. There were the books

(04:28):
of registration, with a checker for Wayne, one for Nolan,
and a third supposedly neutral behind the plank that served
as a desk. The Nolan man was protesting, he's been
dead for ten years. I know him. He's my uncle.
There's a Mike Thaler registered, and this guy says he's Thaler.

(04:51):
The wayman said decisively, he votes. One of the planters
passed his gun to the inspector for the wainside. The
Oleen man gulped and nodded, heh yes, just to mix up.
He's registered, so he votes. The next man, Gordon recognized
as being from one of the small shops on his beat.

(05:13):
The fellow's eyes were desperate, but he was forcing himself
to go through with it. Murtaw, he said, and his
voice broke on the second syllable, Owen Murtau Murtang, no registration.
The Waine checker shrugged. Next, it's Murtaw m u r

(05:34):
t a g h Owen Murtau of seven thirty eight
Morrissey protest. The wainman cut off the frantic wriggling of
the Knowen checker's finger toward the line in the book
when a man can't get the name straight the first time,
it's suspicious. The supposedly neutral checker nodded, better check the

(05:55):
name off unless the real Murtaws shows up any objections, yeomen.
The Nolan man had no objections. Outwardly, he was sweating
and in surprise, and the surprise in his eyes indicated
that this was all new to him. Brute Gordon came next,
showing his badge. He was passed with a nod and

(06:17):
headed for the little closed off polling place, but the
wayIn man touched his arm and indicated a ballot. There
were two piles, and this pile was already filled out
for Wain. Saves trouble unless you want to do it yourself,
he suggested. Gordon shrugged and shoved it into the slot.
He went outside and waited for Izzie to follow. It

(06:40):
was raw, beyond anything he'd expected, but at least it
saved any doubt about the votes. The procedure was the
same at the next booth, though they had more trouble.
The Nolan man there was a fool, neither green nor agreeable.
He protested vigorously in spite of a suspicious Bruis along
his temple, and finally made some of the protests stick.

(07:04):
Gordon began to wonder how it could be anything but
a clear unanimous vote at that rate. Izzie shook his head. Wane,
no whim, but not that easy. The Sticks don't have
strong mobs, and they'll pile up a heavy Nolan vote
and you'll see things home soon. Gordon had voted three

(07:24):
times under the honor system before he saw. They were
just nearing a polling place when a heavy truck came
careening around a corner. Men began piling out of the
back before it stopped. Men armed with clubs and stones.
They were in the middle of the planters at once,
striking without science but with ferocity. The line waiting to

(07:49):
vote broke up, but the citizens had apparently organized with care.
A good number of the men in the line were
with the attackers. There was a s of a shot
in a horrified cry. For a second the citizens broke
then a wave of fury seemed to wash over them
at the needless wrist of the safety of awe. The

(08:12):
horror of rupturing the dome was strongly ingrained in every
citizen of Marsport. They drew back, then made a concerted rush.
There was a trample of bodies, but no more shots.
In a minute, the citizen's group was inside, ripping the
fixed ballots to shreds, filling out and dropping their own.

(08:32):
They ignored the registration clerks. A whistle had been shrilling
for minutes. Now another group came into the scene, and
the planter's men began getting out rapidly. Some of the
citizens looked up and yelled, but it was too late.
From the approaching cars, pipes projected forward, streams of liquid

(08:53):
jetted out, and their agonized cries followed. Even where he stood,
Gordon could the themes of ammonia. Izzie's face tensed, and
he swore inside the dome, they're poisoning the air. But
the trick worked, and no time men and crude masks
were clearing out the booth, driving the last struggling citizens

(09:16):
away and getting ready for business as usual. Murdoch turned
on his heel. I've had enough. I've made up my mind,
he said. The cable offices must be opened for the
doctored reports on the election. To earth, where's the nearest?
Izzie frowned, but supplied the information. Bruce Gordon pulled Murdoch aside,

(09:40):
Come off the head cop roll. It won't work. They
must have had reports on elections before this. Damn the trouble.
It's never been this raw before. Look at Izzie's face,
Gordon even he's shocked. Something has to be done about
this before worse happens. I've still got connections back there.

(10:00):
O ka, Gordon said bitterly. He'd like as a Murdoch
had begun to respect him. It hurt to see that
what he'd considered hard headedness was just another case of
a fool fighting dragons with a paper sword. O K,
it's your death. Certificate, he said, and turned back toward Izzie.
Go send your sob stories, Murdoch. They taught a bunch

(10:23):
of petty maxims in school. Even slum kids learned that
honesty was the best policy, while their honest parents rotted
in unheeded holes and the racketeers rode around in fancy cars.
It had got him once he'd refused to take a
dive as a boxer. He'd tried to play honest cards.
He'd tried honesty on his beat back on Earth. He'd

(10:45):
tried to help the suckers in his column. And here
he was, and Gordon had been proud to serve under Murdoch.
Come on, Ezzi, he said, let's vote. Izzie shook his head.
It ain't right, guv'nor. Let him do what he damn pleases,
Gordon told him. Is he's small face puckered up in

(11:06):
lines of worry. No, I don't mean him. I mean
this business of using ammonia. I know some of the
Geese trying to vote. They've been paying me off and
that's a retainer, you might say. Now this gang tries
to poison them. I'm still running an honest beat, and
I bloody while can't vote for that uniform or no uniform.

(11:28):
I'm walking beat to day, and the first gee that
gives trouble to the men who pay me gets a
knife where he eats. When I get paid for a job,
I do the job. Gordon watched him head down the
block and started after the little man. Then he grimaced
rule books, even izz he had one. He went down

(11:49):
the row, voting regularly. The planters had things in order.
The mess had already been cleaned up when he arrived
at the cheaper end of the beat. It was the
last place where he'd expected to do his duty by
Wain's administration. He waited in line. Then a voice hit
at his ears, and he looked up to see Sheila Cory,

(12:11):
only two places in front of him, Miss Mary Edelstein.
She was saying the Waine man nodded and there was
no protest. She picked up a Wain ballot and dropped
it in the box. Then her eyes fell on Gordon.
She hesitated for a second, bit her lips, and finally
moved out into the crowd. He could see no sign

(12:35):
of her as he stepped out a minute later, but
the back of his neck prickled. He started out of
the crowd, trying to act normal, but glancing down to
make sure the gun was in its proper position. Satisfied,
he wheeled suddenly and spotted her behind him before she
could slip out of sight. Then a shot went up,
yanking his eyes around with the rest of those standing near.

(12:58):
The eyes had centered on the at alleys along the street,
and men were beginning to run wildly while others were
jerking out their weapons. He saw a big gray car
coming up the street. On its side was painted the
colors of the planters. Now it swerved, hitting a siren button,
but it was too late. Trucks shot out of the

(13:20):
little alleys, jamming forward through the people. There must have
been fifty of them. One hit the big gray car,
tossing it aside. It was Trench himself who leaped out,
together with the driver. The trucks paid no attention but
bore down on the crowd. From one of them, a
machine gun opened fire. Gordon dropped down and began crawling

(13:42):
in the only direction that was open, straight toward the
alley from which the trucks had come. A few others
had tried that, but most were darting back as they
saw the colors of the know and Star Point Gang
on the trucks. Other guns began firing. Men were leaping
from the trucks, pouring into the mob of planters, forcing

(14:02):
their way toward the booth in the center of the mess.
It was a beautifully timed surprise attack, and a well
armed one, even though guns were supposed to be so
rare here. Gordon stumbled into some one ahead of him
and saw it was Trench. He looked up and straight
into the swinging muzzle of a machine gun that had
started the commotion. Trench was reaching for his revolver, but

(14:27):
he was going to be too late. Gordon brought his
up the extra half inch, aiming by the feel, and
pulled the trigger. The man behind the machine gun dropped.
Trench had his gun out now and was firing. After
a single surprise glance at Gordon, he waved back toward
the crowd, but Gordon had spotted the open trunk of
the gray car. He shook his head and tried to

(14:50):
indicate it. Trench jerked his thumb and leaped to his feet.
Rushing back. Gordon saw another truck go by and felt
a bullet miss him by inches. Then his legs were
under him, and he was sliding into the big luggage
compartment where the metal would shield him. Something soft under
his feet threw him down. He felt a body under

(15:11):
him and coldness washed over him. Before he could get
his eyes down, the cold went away to be replaced
by shock. Between his spread knees lay Murdock bound and gagged,
his face a bloody mess. Gordon reached for the gag,
but the other held up his hands and pointed to
the gun. It made sense the knots were tight, but

(15:32):
Gordon managed to get the knife under the rope around
Murdoch's wrist and slice through it. The older man's hands
went out for the gun. His eyes swung toward the
street while Gordon attacked the rope around his ankles. The
star Point men were winning, though it was tough going.
They had fought their way almost to the booth, but

(15:53):
there a v of Planter's cars had been gotten into
position somehow, and gun fire was coming from behind them.
As he watched, a huge man reached over one of
the cars, picked up a start Point man and lifted
him behind the barricade. The gag had just come out
when the star Point man jumped into view. Again, waving
a rag over his head and yelling. Captain Trench followed

(16:17):
him out and began pointing toward the gray car. They
want me, Murdoc gasped thickly. Get out, Gordon, before they
gang up on us. Gordon jerked his eyes back toward
the alley on the other side. It went at an
angle and would offer some protection. He looked back just
as bullets began to land against the metal of the car.

(16:37):
Murdoch held up one finger and put himself into a
position to make a run for it. Then he brought
the finger down sharply and the two leaped out. Trench's
ex Mariine Bellow carried over the fighting Get the old man, Bruce.
Gordon had no time to look back. He hit the
alley in five heart ripping leaps and was around the bend.

(16:59):
Then he swore just as Murdoch made it. Bullets spatted
against the walls, and he saw blood pumping from under
Murdoch's right shoulder. Keep going, Murdoch ordered a fresh cry
from the street cut into his order, however, Gordon risked
a quick look, then stepped farther out to make sure

(17:20):
the surprise raided by the star Pointers hadn't been quite
as much of a surprise as expected. With no regard
for men trying to get out of their way. The
trucks of the Croupsters were battering aside the few who
could not reach safety. There were no machine guns this time.
They smacked into the tangle of star Point trucks and
came to a grinding halt, men piling out ready for battle.

(17:45):
Gordon nodded, and a few minutes Wayne's supporters would have
the booth again. There'd be a delay before any organized
search could be made for the fugitives. He looked down
at Murdoch's shoulder. Come on, he said, finally, Or should
I carry you? Murdoch shook his head. I'll walk. Get

(18:06):
me to a place where we can talk. Get me
to a place where we can talk. And be damned
to this, Gordon, I've got to talk, but I don't
have to live. I mean that. Gordon started off, disregarding
the words A place of safety had to come first.
He picked his way down alleys in small streets. The
older man kept trying to stop to speak, but Gordon

(18:28):
gave him no opportunity. There was one chance. It was
farther down than he'd thought, and Gordon began to suspect
he'd missed the way until he saw the drug store.
Now it all fell into place, the first beat he'd
had with Izzie. He ducked down back alleys until he
reached the right section. He scanned the street, jumped to

(18:52):
the door of the little liquor store and began banging
on it. There was no answer, though he was sure
the old couple lived just over the store. He began
banging again. Finally, a feeble voice sounded from inside. Who
is it? A man in distress, he yelled back. There
was no way to identify himself. He could only hope

(19:15):
she would look. The entrance seal opened briefly, then it
flashed open all the way. He motioned to Murdoch and
jumped to help the failing man to the entrance. The
old lady looked, then moved quickly to the other side.
Ah goot, she breathed, Her hands trembled as she relocked

(19:37):
the seal. Then she brushed the thin hair off her
face and pointed. Gordon followed her up the stairs, carrying
Murdoch on his back. She opened a door, passed through
a tiny kitchen and threw open another door to a bedroom.
The old man lay on the bed, and this time

(19:58):
there was no question of conc cushion. The woman nodded, Yes,
Papa is dead. God forbid it. He would try to vote.
I told him, and told him, and then with my
own hands I carried him here. Gordon felt sick. He
started to turn, but she shook her head quickly. No,

(20:18):
Papa is dead. He needs no beds now, and your
friend is suffering. Put him here. She lifted the frail
body of the old man and lowered him on to
the floor with a strength that seemed impossible. Then her
hands were gentle as she helped lower Murdoch where the
corpse had been. I'll get alcohol from below and bandages

(20:41):
and hot water. As Murdoch opened his eyes, breathing stertoriously,
his face was blanched, his clothes a mess, but he
protested as Gordon tried to strip them. Let them go, kid,
there's no way to save me now and listen. I'm

(21:04):
listening with your mind, Gordon, not your ears. You've heard
a lot about security, well, I'm security, top level policy
for Mars. We never got a top man here without
his being discovered and killed. That's why we've had to
work under all the cover and against our own government.

(21:28):
Nobody knew I was here. Trench was our man sold
us out. We've got junior men down to your level,
clerks such things. We've got a dozen plans, but we're
not ready for an emergency. And it's here now. Gordon,
you're a self made louse, but you're a man underneath

(21:49):
it somewhere. That's why we rate you higher than you
think you are. That's why I'm going to trust you,
because I have to. He swallowed, and the thin hand
of the woman lifted brandy to his lips. Papa, she
said slowly. He was a clerk once for security, but

(22:09):
nobody came, nobody called. She went back to trying to
bandage the bleeding, bluish hole in his chest. Murdock nodded faintly.
Probably what happened to a lot men like Trench supposed
to build an organization, just leaving the loose ends hanging.
He groaned. Sweat popped out on his forehead, but his

(22:32):
eyes never left Gordon's hell's going to pop. The government's
just waiting to step in. Earth wants to take over
it should Gordon said no, We've studied these things. Mars
won't give up, and Earth wants a plum, not responsibility.
You'll have civil war and the whole planetary development ruined.

(22:55):
Security's the only hope, Gordon, the only chance Mars had
has or will have. Believe me, I know security has
to be notified. There's a code message I had ready,
a message to a friend. Even you can send it
and they'll be watching. I've got the basic plans in

(23:18):
the book here, he slumped back. Gordon frowned, then found
the book and pulled it out as gently as he could.
It was a small black memo book covered with pages
of shorthand. The back was an address book filled with names,
many crossed out. A sheet of paper and normal handwriting

(23:40):
fell out the message. Murdoch took another swallow of brandy.
Take it. You're head of security on Mars. Now. It's
all authorized in the plans there. You'll need the brains
and knowledge of the others. But they can't act you can.
We know about you, The old woman sighed. She put

(24:03):
down the hot water and picked up the bottle of brandy.
Starting down the stairs, Gordon Murdoch said faintly. He turned
to put his head down from the stairs. A sudden
cry and thump sounded, and something hit the floor. Gordon
jumped toward the sound to find the old lady bending

(24:24):
over the inert figure of Sheila Cory. I heard some one,
the woman said, She stared at the brandy bottle, sickly
God in him all look at me? Am I a
killer too, that I should strike a young and beautiful girl.
She comes into my house and I sneak behind her.

(24:45):
It is an evil time, young man. Here. You carry
her inside. I'll get some twine and tie her up.
The idea spying on you. Gordon picked the girl up roughly.
That capped it. He thought there was no way of
knowing and how much she'd heard, or whether she'd tipped
others off. He dropped her near the bed and went

(25:06):
over to Murdoch. The man was dying now, so security
wants me to contact the others in the book and
organize things. Yes, Murdoch swallowed. Not a good chance then,
but a chance still time, I think, Gordon, what else

(25:27):
can I do? Bruce Gordon asked. He knew it was
no answer, but as a Murdoch apparently accepted it as
a promise. The Gray speckled hand, relaxed and rolled sideways
on the bloody pillow. Dead, Gordon said to the woman
as she came up with a twine. Dead, fighting windmills

(25:49):
and maybe winning, I don't know. He turned towards Sheila,
a split second too late. The girl came up from
the floor. With a single push of her arm. She
pivoted on her heel, hit the door, and her heels
were clattering on the stairs. Before Gordon could reach the entrance,
she was whipping around into an alley. He watched her

(26:12):
go sick inside, and the last he saw was the
hand she held up, waving the little black book at him.
He turned back into the liquor shop. The woman seemed
to read his face. I should have watched her. It
is a bad day for me, young man. I failed Papa.
I feeled the poor man who died, and now I

(26:33):
have failed you. It is better, he caught her as
she fell toward him. She relaxed after a second. Upstairs, Please,
she whispered beside Papa. There was nothing else, And these
Martian poisons, they are so sure they don't hurt. Five

(26:54):
minutes more, I think, stay with me. I'll tell you
how Papa and I got married. I want somebody should
know how it was with us once together. He stayed.
Then picked the two bodies up and moved them from
the floor under the bed where he had first seen

(27:14):
the old man. He moved Murdoch's body aside and covered
the two gently. Finally he went down the stairs, carrying
Murdoch with him. The man's weight was a stiff load,
even on Mars, but somehow he couldn't leave his body
with the old couple. He stopped finally ten blocks of

(27:35):
narrow alleys away and put Murdoch down. Now he had
no witnesses except Sheila Cory. He had no book, no
clues as to whom to see, in what to do.
He heard the sound of a mobile amplifier and strained
his ears toward it. He got enough to know that

(27:56):
Wain had won a thumping victory better than three to two.
Isaiah Trench was still captain of the seventh Precinct. End
of chapter eight