Arm of the Law

Arm of the Law (in Short Science Fiction Collection 020 )

How could a robot--a machine, after all--be involved in something

like law application and violence? Harry Harrison, who will be

remembered for his THE VELVET GLOVE (Nov. 1956) and his more recent

TRAINEE FOR MARS (June 1958) tells what happens when a police robot

hits an outpost on Mars.

At one time--this was before the Robot

Restriction Laws--they'd even allowed

them to make their own decisions....

It was a big, coffin-shaped plywood box that looked like it weighed a

ton. This brawny type just dumped it through the door of the police

station and started away. I looked up from the blotter and shouted at

the trucker's vanishing back.

"What the hell is that?"

"How should I know?" he said as he swung up into the cab. "I just

deliver, I don't X-ray 'em. It came on the morning rocket from earth is

all I know." He gunned the truck more than he had to and threw up a

billowing cloud of red dust.

"Jokers," I growled to myself. "Mars is full of jokers."

When I went over to look at the box I could feel the dust grate between

my teeth. Chief Craig must have heard the racket because he came out of

his office and helped me stand and look at the box.

"Think it's a bomb?" he asked in a bored voice.

"Why would anyone bother--particularly with a thing this size? And all

the way from earth."

He nodded agreement and walked around to look at the other end. There

was no sender's address anywhere on the outside. Finally we had to dig

out the crowbar and I went to work on the top. After some prying it

pulled free and fell off.