Gaark

Origin
Space-Corporal Bart Bonner is charged and found guilty of cruelty to natives and subordinates and flagrant miscarriage of orders. Commandant Luther Mynot reads the sentence. Bonner places the blame on Captain Martin Hawkins, who Bart says framed him. Mynot says the evidence presented by Hawkins was clear to earn Bonner a conviction. Bonner is relieved of his position in the Perimeter Patrol.

Bart returns to Mars, catching up with his old buddies, Gaark and Meesko. He talks them into helping him run illegal "limpo juice" off the perimeter planet, Xarpot. Gaark assembles assemble a crew of tough and the group leaves for Xarpot.

Once on Xarpot, Bonner tries to cut a deal with Chief Guntar to support the operation. Guntar refuses, but Bonner threatens to harm the chief's daughter, Tora. Chief Guntar accedes to Bonner's plan.

Bonner's men use whips to force the natives of Xarpot to labor planting and harvesting "limpo seeds". Gaark asks Bonner how the Perimeter Patrol will be dealt with when they inevitably arrive. Bart says he has a plan to deal with those he calls the "jet-boys" of the Perimeter Patrol.

When the limpo is harvested, it is reduced to a green juice and processed. Bonner orders Meesko to take 35 barrels to the planetoid, Borla, and start bootlegging the limpo juice. Gaark is to take the remainder to the planetoid Rako. On Rako, Gaark gives the limpo juice to the native Rakosians for free. The native creatures, high on limpo juice, attack the hydroponic station on Rako. The men at the station attempt to hold them off while calling the Perimeter Patrol for protection. Centurion Mynot sends Captain Hawkins to deal with the riot of Rakosians and put a stop to the smuggling of limpo juice.

Anticipating the smugglers' next move, Captain Hawkins and a group of his men go to he planetoid of Zaloo disguised as natives. They are captured by the smugglers, and Gaark decides to return them to Xarpot to work making limpo juice.

With the help of Tara, Hawkins tries to break into the smugglers' armory. He is caught and recognized by Bart Bonner. Bonner tells Gaark to pass out ray-guns to all the men.

Tora, seeing Hawkins is captured, pours green limpo juice into the water supply. One of Hawkins' men notes the Captain has been gone too long, and decides to lead the natives into a resistance with their clubs.

Bonner is told of the uprising of natives, and orders his men to kill them all. The limpo juice in the water supply takes effect on Bonner's ruffians, making them sick. Bart realizes Tora poisoned the water and aims his ray-gun at her to kill her. Captain Martin Hawkins tells Chief Guntar that the Perimeter Patrol would arrive soon to round up "Black Bart Bonner and his space pirates" and punish them for the limpo juice smuggling, which carries a minimum 10-year sentence in the "Lunar prisons". Chief Guntar plans a feast in honor of Captain Hawkins and the Perimeter Patrol. Tora invites Martin Hawkins to return to Xarpot in the future, in hopes she might show him her appreciation.

Public Domain Appearances

 * Amazing Adventures #6