KY'S THE LIMIT

All that day, the three rocket ships sat out on the field. Nobody went
up to them, and nobody came from them; surprisingly, Wayne had found the
courage to ignore them. But rumors were circulating wildly. Bruce Gordon
felt his nerves creeping out of his skin and beginning to stand on end
to test each breeze for danger.

With the credit they'd accumulated in the fund, nearly all their
collection was theirs. Gordon went out to do some shopping. He stopped
when his money was down to a hundred credits, hardly realizing what he
was doing. When he went out, the street was going crazy.

Izzy had been waiting, and filled him in. At exactly sundown, the rocket
ships had thrown down ramps, and a stream of jeeps had ridden down them
and toward the south entrance to the dome. They had presented some sort
of paper and forced the guard to let them through. There were about two
hundred men, some of them armed. They had driven straight to the huge,
barnlike Employment Bureau, had chased out the few people remaining
there, and had simply taken over. Now there was a sign in front which
simply said MARSPORT LEGAL POLICE FORCE HEADQUARTERS. Then the
jeeps had driven back to the rockets, gone on board, and the ships had
taken off.

Gordon glanced at his watch, finding it hard to believe it could have
been done so quickly. But it was two hours after sundown.

Now a car with a loudspeaker on top rolled into view--a completely
armored car. It stopped, and the speaker began operating.

"Citizens of Marsport! In order to protect your interests from the
proven rapacity of the administration here, Earth has revoked the
independent charter of Marsport. The past elections are hereby declared
null and void. Your home world has appointed Marcus Gannett as mayor,
with Philip Crane as chief of police. Other members of the council will
be by appointment until legal elections can be held safely. The
Municipal Police Force is disbanded, and the Legal Police Force is now
being organized.

"All police and officers who remain loyal to the legal government will
be accepted at their present grade or higher. To those who now leave the
illegal Municipal Force and accept their duty with the Legal Force,
there will be no question of past conduct. Nor will they suffer
financially from the change!

"Banks will be reopened as rapidly as the Legal Government can extend
its control, and all deposits previously made will be honored in full."