Publisher's Synopsis
Written under the pseudonym "Eric Van Lhin," this hard-boiled story of cheap grifters, Martian slums, and rampant crime features ex-cop Bruce Gordon, shipped to Mars with a knife, 100 credits, and a yellow card that means no return.Show Excerpt ies--all Mars smelled, since water was still too rare for frequent bathing--and their cheap perfume, and clouded with cheap Marsweed cigarettes. Gordon swung where their eyes pointed, until he saw Fats Eller sidling through the groups, then let the knife slip into the palm of his hand as the crowd seemed to hold its breath. Fats plucked a sheaf of Martian bank notes from his pocket and tossed them to the croupier. "Cash in his chips." Then his pouchy eyes turned to Gordon. "Get your money, punk, and get out! And stay out!" For a moment, as he began pocketing the bills, Gordon thought he was going to get away that easily. Fats watched him dourly, then swung on his heel, just as a shrill, strangled cry went up from someone in the crowd. The deportee let his glance jerk to it, then froze. His eyes caught the sight of a hand pointing behind him, and he knew it was too crude a trick to bother with. But he paused, shocked to see the girl he'd seen on Mother Corey's stairs gazing at him i
