The Sleepwalker by Space Patrol

Relic Radio Sci-Fi (old time radio)

Commander Buzz Corey and Cadet Happy investigate a daring robbery involving the theft of 500,000 credits from an Interplanetary Transport Se

Key takeaways

• The thief known as 'the Sleepwalker' uses an ultrasonic beam that paraly/zes victims by vibrating flesh like a million tiny skeletons.
• A total of 500,000 credits were stolen from passenger ship N157 during a robbery in the Neptune orbit.
• Buzz and Happy utilize a scrap metal 'space raft' based on Newton's third law of motion to navigate toward the thieves' location.
• The kidnappers Woody Knorr and Bob Morgan attempted to hide on an unfinished artificial satellite near Venus.
• Carol Carlyle, the Secretary General's daughter, was targeted because her presence could identify the criminals.

Main topics

• Space Patrol missions
• Ultrasonic beam technology
• Interplanetary Transport Service theft

Notable quotes

The vibration act on the flesh like a million tiny skeletons.

Conclusion

A classic science fiction adventure that blends high-stakes crime with

Transcript preview

Speaker 1 (0:00) Relic Radio. Relic Radio Sci-Fi. Old time radio. Science fiction stories. From RelicRadio.com. Wheat Speaker 4 (0:37) Chex, Rice Chex, and Good Hot Ralston present Space Patrol. I adventure in the wild, vast reaches of space. Missions of daring in the name of interplanetary justice. Travel into the future with Buzz Corey, Commander-in-Chief of the Space Patrol. Speaker 4 (1:01) In today's transcribed adventure, Buzz and Happy are approaching a building where the Secretary General's daughter, Carol, is held captive. Suddenly, they become aware of a painful, tingling sensation and a ringing in their ears. Speaker 6 (1:14) It's hard to Speaker 5 (1:14) walk. It feels like a big weight on me. Yeah, I can hardly move. Happy, Laura's using some kind of a ray on us. A paralyzer ray? It's worse than that. It's an ultrasonic beam. Run back to the ship. Get out of its range, quickly. I can't. Happy, get up. Here, I'll help you. I can't even crawl. My head is a thousand needles in it. If we don't get out of that beam, Speaker 4 (1:37) it'll shake us to pieces. We'll be back in just a moment with today's Space Patrol story, The Sleepwalker. Speaker 4 (1:52) And now, gang, here's some terrific news. Here's how to get a pair of the Space Patrol space binoculars, the most unusual binoculars ever designed. You wear them like official outer space headgear. That's right. A strong elastic band holds them snugly to your eyes, leaving your hands absolutely free. Now, these are not flimsy celluloid goggles, not a mask. They're the real McCoy. Big, full-size, solid plastic binoculars you can see way off in the distance with. Overall, they're a complete five inches in width, a complete five inches in length. And when you wear them, they stand out a full three and a half inches from your eyes. Powerful? Ah, you bet. These are... Four power binoculars with four fixed-focus pure lucite lenses. You can spot airplanes in the sky, watch for your dad coming home from work, read signs way off in the distance. Truly the greatest Space Patrol value in all our experience. The most sensational offer we have ever made. Now here's how to get a pair. Buy a box of Instant Ralston. Then with your name and address, send 25 cents in coin. and an instant Ralston box top to Space Patrol, Box 686, St. Louis, Missouri. If you don't agree that your space binoculars are absolutely tops, return them and the Ralston Company will cheerfully refund your money. The address again is Space Patrol, Box 686, St. Louis, Missouri. Speaker 4 (3:26) Two hours ago in the Neptune City office of Interplanetary Transport Service, a small white light on a control panel flickered and changed to red. A few seconds later, the traffic supervisor of the big private passenger service clicked on his space phone. Speaker 3 (3:41) Space Patrol search command, this is the Interplanetary Transport Service Neptune office. Our ITS passenger ship N157 is overdue on two quarter-hour message-to-base reports. This ship last reported at 1745 Universal Star Time on regular Terra-Neptune space lane. 900,000 VUs out of Neptune and has not reported to Space Control Terra. Speaker 3 (4:12) Within Speaker 4 (4:13) minutes, Space Patrol search command ships fanned out from Neptune, sensitive view scopes scanning space for the missing passenger ship. Ninety minutes later, in Commander Corey's central office on Terra, Cadet Happy sits before a space-o-phone, tensely waiting a report from Neptune. Speaker 6 (4:30) Happy, nothing new so far, sir. Cut down the amplifier. Thanks. Speaker 5 (4:36) I've just got a report from the communications center from the Space Patrol search unit. They found the N-157 out beyond the Neptune orbit. What was wrong, Commander? Speaker 6 (4:44) Passengers and crew had been mysteriously put to sleep. To sleep? Why? To Speaker 5 (4:47) cover a robbery, it seems. Was the thief still aboard? We don't know yet. Chances are he was working with a Confederate who met the passenger ship out in space and took the thief aboard. But we know what's missing. One of the passengers, who was the first to revive, is making quite a disturbance about it. Can't say that I blame him. He lost half a million credits. Half a million? Wow. That's partly his own fault. He had them packed in an ordinary suitcase and didn't even ask for a guard. Speaker 6 (5:11) Well, why in the universe was he carrying that much money around? Speaker 5 (5:13) He's a space construction contractor named Reese Bixby. Took over the government artificial satellite job after the other contracting firm defaulted. Speaker 6 (5:21) Oh, yeah. He's the man who boasted he could finish the satellites within six months. He can probably do it, too. Fortunately, Speaker 5 (5:26) he's a much better space engineer than he was a guard of his money. Speaker 6 (5:30) Well, the money isn't hit aboard the ship then, huh? Speaker 5 (5:32) Apparently not. The ship has been searched. The only clue so far is that two passengers are missing. We don't know who they are until all the passengers revive so interplanetary transport can check the passenger list. Speaker 6 (5:42) Then we'll know who's missing and who took the money. Unless the Speaker 5 (5:44) thieves were traveling under assumed names, which they probably were. To me, Speaker 6 (5:49) this Speaker 5 (5:49) looks Speaker 6 (5:50) like the work of the sleepwalker. Oh, the crook who's been stealing plant payrolls by putting people to sleep. Speaker 5 (5:56) Right. Up till now, at least he hasn't committed any other form of robbery. It seems that this sleepwalker walks in other people's sleep. That he does. Speaker 3 (6:04) Interplanetary Transport Service. Neptune office calling Commander Corey, Space Patrol Headquarters, Terra. Corey here. Go Speaker 5 (6:10) ahead. Speaker 3 (6:11) This is Interplanetary Traffic Supervisor Jenkins, Commander. The two missing passengers are a man and a woman. The man is listed on the roster as William Knight. And Speaker 5 (6:19) the woman? Speaker 3 (6:20) My assistant is checking the names now, Commander. Hurry with that, please. Speaker 5 (6:23) William Knight. Make a note of that, Happy. Yes, sir. Speaker 3 (6:26) I have the other name, Commander. I can't believe this. What is it, Speaker 5 (6:29) Jenkins? The Speaker 3 (6:30) missing woman is the Secretary General's daughter, Carol Carlyle. Speaker 5 (6:33) What? It Speaker 3 (6:34) was on the amended passenger list. A last-minute change transmitted from terror, which is why we were so long in finding out. Speaker 5 (6:39) Jenkins, stand by for further instructions. Yes, Commander. Happy, get the ship ready. We're blasting off a Neptune immediately. Speaker 6 (6:50) I wish we'd get a report from the Neptune search command, sir. By Speaker 5 (6:53) this time, the other Speaker 6 (6:54) ship could be Speaker 5 (6:54) thousands of DUs away, huh? And we haven't the slightest idea of what kind of ship to look for. Carol shouldn't have made a trip without notifying the space patrol. Speaker 7 (7:01) Carol calling Commander Corey. Carol calling Commander Corey. Speaker 5 (7:04) On the miniature space phone channel. Carol, thank goodness you're safe. Oh, Speaker 7 (7:07) Buzz. I was taken off of a passenger ship inside the Neptune orbit. Speaker 5 (7:11) Yes, we know that. Happy and I are headed for Neptune now. Where are you? In Speaker 7 (7:14) the aft compartment of a private cruiser, Class C. Speaker 5 (7:16) You know the registry number? Yes. It Speaker 7 (7:18) was PCV85. I got a look at it when it joined airlocks with the passenger ship. Speaker 5 (7:22) Then you weren't affected by the sleep gas. Speaker 7 (7:24) No, I was in my compartment. When I came out, a man grabbed me and forced me near the other ship. Speaker 5 (7:28) What man? What's his name? Speaker 7 (7:29) He was one of the passengers. His partner calls him Woody. Woody Knorr. Who's Speaker 5 (7:33) his partner? He was Speaker 7 (7:34) piloting a private cruiser. His name is Bob Morgan. Do Speaker 5 (7:37) you know where they're taking you? Speaker 7 (7:38) No, all I know is that someone's coming. Hide Speaker 5 (7:41) your miniature space phone, Carol, but leave it on. Cory out. I've changed vector toward their position,